99 



CUUCIFKIliE. 



CRUCIFER^. 



Charndrr of Ihe Order. — Hrrl)S with altornnto, pxstipulute leftvos, cnici- 

 forin Howei-H iii tennimU racemeH oi* corymbs, iind a pun^eut, acrid, watery 

 juice. Sepals 4, deciduouH. Petaln 4, liyijopfynoiw, placed ojjposite eacii 

 other ill pairs, their liiubs si^rcadiug und lonniii}^- a cross. Stamens (Ji 

 four of c([nal lenfj^th placed in pairs oppoHito each oth(;r, the remaining 

 two, shorter, placed beneath tliem and opjjosite each other. Ovary of 2 

 united carpels, witli 2 parietal 2)lacentie, separated by a membranaceous 

 partition ; stylo short or absent, often persistent ; stigmas 2, opposite the 

 placenta?. Fruit a siliipie or silide, usually 2-celled, rarely 1-celled 1- to 

 many-seeded, dehiscent by the separation of the valves from the persistent 



placenta', ov occasionally 

 indehiscent, and either 

 lomentaceous or nucu- 

 mentaceoiis. Seeds cam- 

 pylotropous, gene ra lly 

 pcndnlous, attached in a 

 single row to each side 

 of the placenta. Embryo 

 with cotyledons variously 

 folded on the radicle. 



This is a very natural 

 and easily recognized fam- 

 ily of plants, the cruciform 

 flowers (Fig. 105) and pe- 

 culiarly arranged stamens 

 (Fig. lOG) sening for im- 

 mediate identification of the order. Tlio identitication of the genera is, 

 however, quite another matter. Here the characters are taken from the 

 pods and seeds, and in some instances are, to the beginner at least, very 

 pei'plexing. 



All the cn'.ifers possess, to a greater or less extent, acrid and instat- 

 ing properties, but none of them are positively poisonous. The acrid 

 principle is usually of a volatile character, somewhat dissipated in drying 

 and entirely so l)y boiling. Though generally present in all jiarts of the 

 plant, it is often most concentrated in the seeds, and may be obtained 

 from many of them by distillation in the form of a volatile oil. Whatever 

 of medicinal importance the order may have is imdoubtedly due to the 

 acrid pi'inciple present, and this appears to act merely by virtue of its 

 stimulant and irritant properties. Hence all statements attributing spe- 

 cific \artues to any plant of the order should be viewed with suspicion. 

 There is no one order in the vegetable kingdom of more strongly mai'ked 



Fio. ir5. — form of (lowrr com- 

 mon tu tlio Cniciferio. 



Fio. 106. — Arranf'o- 



mrnt of stuuuMis tom- 

 niouto Um Criioircrii". 



