Order POLYGALALES 



By John Kunkel Small 



Herbs, shrubs, or trees, or sometimes woody vines. Leaves alternate or 

 opposite, sometimes whorled, occasionally much reduced or scale-like, with or 

 without stipules: blades simple, entire or rarely toothed. Flowers solitary or 

 several to many, axillary or borne in terminal or axillary inflorescences, perfect 

 or by abortion unisexual, regular or zygomorphic. Perianth in two series. 

 Calyx of five distinct or united sepals, sometimes spurred, the two inner sepals 

 often larger and petaloid called "wings," or of four sepals or rarely of three. 

 Corolla usually present, of five or fewer equal or nearly equal petals, or often 

 with the lower one concave or keel-like connected with the other petals and 

 with the androecium, sometimes crested on the back. Androecium of eight 

 or ten stamens, or sometimes fewer; filaments distinct or united and more or 

 less adnate to the corolla; anthers erect, opening by apical pores or chinks, or 

 sometimes by longitudinal valves or slits. Receptacle small, but sometimes 

 produced between the stamens and petals as an annular or lobed disk. Gynoe- 

 cium of two to five united carpels, sometimes apparently one-carpellary, often 

 stalked. Ovary mostly two-celled, sometimes 3-celled, flattened: styles united, 

 with the stigma at the apex or on the side. Ovules solitary, paired or several 

 in each cavity, anatropous and pendulous. Fruit a compressed or terete cap- 

 sule, usually dehiscent, but sometimes indehiscent and even drupaceous. 

 Seeds pendulous, usually carunculate, the bodies often variously pubescent. 

 Embryo straight. 



Flowers with a spurred calyx and one perfect stamen. Fam. 1. VochyacEaB. 



Flowers with a spurless calyx and 2 or more perfect stamens. 



Anthers opening by apical pores or chinks: corolla apparently 

 papilionaceous: style appendaged: fruit capsular, sometimes 



samaroid. Fam. 2. PolygalacEaE. 



Anthers opening by longitudinal valves: corolla not at all papil- 

 ionaceous: style not appendaged: fruit drupaceous. Fam. 3. DichapETalacE AE. 



Volume 25, Part 4, 1924] 299 



