22 NATURAL HISTORY OF PLANTS. 



tlius formed, contains tlu-ee or foiu- herbaceous species^ natives of tlie 

 Western districts of Nortli America, principally California. The leaves 

 are alternate, exstipulate, pinnatisect, glabrous, like the whole plant, 

 and the iiowcrs^ are axillary and solitary. By the complete in- 

 dependence of the carpels these plants are to the series which follow, 

 nearly what the Biehersteinece with independent carpels are to the 

 Geraniums. 



SOEEEL SEEIES (FE., Surcllo) 

 In the Sorrels'^ (fig. 55-68) the flowers are regular and herma- 



OxaVis cnnata. 



Fig. 56. Flower without perianth. (\°) . Fig. 55. Foliaceous branch. Fig. 57. Long. sect, of flower. 



phrodite, with a convex receptacle. The calyx is composed of five 



1 Endl. Atakt. t. 27.— Don, in Sweet Fl. 467 ; Ami. ii. 239. 



Gard. ii. t. 37S. — Benth. in Hort. Trans, ser. i. ^ White, tinted with yellow towards the claws, 



409.— LiNDL. in Joitrit. Hart. Sue. iv. 78.— V. or pink. 



HocTTE Fl. des Serres, v. 4316.— Walv. £ep. i. ^ (Jjalis L. Gen. n. 582.— J. Gen. 270 ; in 



