18 NATURAL HISTORY OF PLANTS. 
GENERA. 
1. Mirabilis L.—Flowers regular hermaphrodite. Calyx petaloid 
tubular or tubular-infundibuliform. Limb usually patulous, 5- 
dentate, membranous-dilated between the teeth and induplicate con- 
torted in the bud; tube slightly dilated at base and somewhat 
constricted above dilatation ; upper part caducous. Stamens 5, un- 
equal, even with or slightly longer than tube of perianth, alternating 
with its teeth; filaments 1-delphous at base, sometimes connate in a 
short thick fleshy disk-like tube, free above; anthers short 2-celled 
laterally or subintrorsely rimose at margins. Ovary free above, sur- 
rounded at base by a thin disk, 1-celled ; style slender recurved at 
apex; summit globose divided into short simple or slightly ramose 
capitellate stigmatiferous branches ; ovule 1, subbasilar suberect, 
inserted in internal angle of the ovary, anatropous or subcampylo- 
tropous ; micropyle anterior, inferior. Fruit (an achene or nearly a 
caryopsis), clothed with hardened 5-agonal base of the calyx and 
base of stamens; internal albumen of suberect-seed farinaceous ; 
cotyledons of incurvo-involute peripheral embryo incumbent, unequal 
(the interior smaller) ; radicle cylindro-conical inferior.—Herbs ; root 
usually tuberous-conical, stem and branches articulate at nodes ; 
leaves simple opposite exstipulate ; flowers crowded in cymes at ends 
of twigs (sometimes 1-parous); involucre (sometimes calyciform) 
formed of five large bracts connate at base imbricate or subvalvate, 
sometimes 2 or 3-flowered (4c/eisanthes), or 1-flowered (Zumirabihs, 
Acleisanthes), or 8—- -flowered (Qzamoclidion). Flowers articulate 
at base beyond involucre (Zropical and Subtropical Western America). 
See p. 1. 
2? Nyctaginia Cuois. — Flowers nearly of Mirabilis; calyx 
tubular dilated at apex, 5-plicate. Stamens 5, much exserted. Style 
even with stamens, germen and fruit of d/iradilis.—A herb; leaves 
opposite ; flowers terminal, falsely capitate, articulate, surrounded 
by a polyphyllus imbricate involucre (Mexico). See p. 5. 
