76 THE CRtlCIFEE FAMILT. 



much divided, the segments ovate or wedge-shaped, and cut into two or 

 thi-ee lobes. Flowers in short racemes, pale yellow, about 6 lines long, with 

 a short broad spur. Pod 3 or 4 lines long. 



In stony places, in southern Europe, but having been long cultivated in 

 flower-gardens, it has become naturalized on old walls and rubbish much 

 further to the north, on the continent of Europe, as well as in some parts of 

 England. Fl. summer. 



2. Climbing Corydal. Corydalis claviculata, DC. 



(Fumaria, Eng. Bot. t. 103.) 



An annual with slender intricate stems, 1 to 2 feet long, climbing by means 

 of the leaf-stalks, which usually terminate in deUcate tendrOs. Leaf-segments 

 small, ovate or oblong, and often toothed or cut. Racemes or spikes short 

 and compact at the extremity of the peduncles. Flowers small, white, with 

 a slight yellow tinge, and a very short spur. Pod 2 or 3 hnes long. 



In hilly districts and stony situations, in western Europe, penetrating 

 ea stward into northern Germany, and here and there along the Mediterranean . 

 Widely distributed over Britain, but not common, except in some parts of 

 western and northern England, Ireland, and southern Scotland. Fl. summer. 



VI. THE CRTJCrFER FAMILY. CRUCIFEE^. 



Herbs, or rarely underslirubs, with alternate leaves and no 

 stipules ; the flowers in terminal racemes, which are generally 

 very short or reduced to a corymb when the flowering com- 

 mences, but lengthen out as it advances. Sepals 4. Petals 4, 

 equal, or two (on the outer side) larger. Stamens 6, of which 

 two are generally shorter or very rarely deficient. Ovary soli- 

 tary, 2-celled. Style single, often very short or almost none, 

 with a capitate or 2-lobed stigma. Fruit a pod, divided into 

 2 cells by a thin partition, from which the valves generally 

 separate at maturity ; or, in a few genera, the pod is one-celled 

 or indehiscent, or separates transversely into several joints. 

 Seeds without albumen, attached, in each cell, alternately, to 

 the right and left edges of the partition. 



An extensive and very natural family, widely spread over the globe, but 

 chiefly in the northern hemisphere ; scarce within the tropics, and in some 

 districts entirely unknown. The number of sepals, petals, and stamens 

 readily distinguish Crucifers from all other British plants, but the discrimi- 

 nation of the numerous genera into which they are distributed is a much 

 more difficult task. The characters are necessarily derived chiefly from the 

 pod and the seed, and are often very minute. It is therefore absolutely 

 necessary, in order to name a Cnicifer, to have the specimen in fruit, and to 

 examine the seed it must be ripe ; it should then be soaked and the outer 

 coating carefully taken off, in order to lay bare the embryo, and observe the 

 position of the radicle on the cotyledons, which is now considered as the 

 most essential among the generic characters. 



A few terms specially made use of in describing plants of this family may 



