Ord. CAPPARIDACEtE. 



Herbas, vel in subtropicis arbores (succo aqueo acridi), 

 foliis alternis, stipulis nullis aut spinescentibus ; dicotyle- 

 doneae, poly-apetalas, hypogynas, hexa-polyandrae (nee tetra- 

 dynamas) ; floribus subregularibus ; ovario uniloculari mo- 

 nostylo; placentis parietalibus intervalvularibus 2 vel 4-10 ; 

 ovulis amphitropis seu campylotropis ; seminibus exalbumi- 

 nosis reniformibus vel conduplicatis ; cotyledonibus arcuato- 

 inenmbentibus seu convolutis. 



Capparides, Juss. Gen. p. 242, & in Ann. Mus. 18. p. 474. 

 Capparidej;, Vent. Tab. 3. p. 118. DC. Prodi. 1. p. 237. R. Br. in 



Denh. & Clapp. Voy. p. 220. Endl. Gen. p. 889. 

 Capparidacej:, Lindl. Introd. Nat. Syst. ed. 2. p. 61, & Veg. Kingd. 



p. 357. 



The Caper Family is nearly related to Cruciferse on the one hand, and 

 to Resedaceae on the other. It resembles the former in sensible qualities, as 

 well as in the usually cruciform flowers, and in the structure of the ovary 

 (of which even the spurious partition connecting the parietal placentae is 

 sometimes met with) ; and likewise in the dehiscence of the pod in all the 

 capsular genera, in which the two valves separate more or less completely 

 from the intervening filiform placenta;, just as in Fumariaceae. The sta- 

 mens, also, are commonly six in the Cleomete, that is, in all the capsular- 

 fruited Capparidaceae, but are not tetradynamous. In the Capparece, or 

 proper Caper Tribe, with baccate fruit, the stamens are often indefinite, and 

 the placentas sometimes several in number. Several genera of this tribe are 

 apetalous. 



The pungency and stimulant qualities of the Caper Family are owing to 

 an acrid principle, much like that of Cruciferae, which gives the flavor to the 

 well-known condiment, the capers of commerce, which are the pickled flower- 

 buds of C'apparis spinosa. This pungent principle is often so concentrated 

 as to be dangerous; and is accompanied with other active, or even narcotic 

 qualities, which render many species more or less poisonous or medicinal. 



Capparidaceae are chiefly found in the tropics, and the countries bordering 

 on them. The common Caper, however, inhabits the Furopean shore of 

 thi Mediterranean, and, in the New World, one or more West Indian spe- 

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