CAPPARIDACE.E. 177 



Plate 77. 

 CRISTATELLA, Nutt. 



Petala longe unguiculata, flabelliformia, dimorpha ; postica 

 eroso-fimbriata anticis palmatopartitis multo majora. Sta- 

 mina 6—14, declinata, toro piano, postice appendicem vagi- 

 nasformem ore trimcatam exserenti, inserta. Capsula, etc., 

 ut Cleomes. 



Cristatella, Nutt. in Jour. Acad. Pliilad. 7. p. 85. t. 11. Torr. & 



Gray, Fl. N. Am. 1. p. 123. 

 Cvrbasidm, Endl. Gen. 4980. 



Calyx herbaceous, of 4 lanceolate sepals a little united at 

 the base, deciduous. Petals 4, hypogynous, of two forms, 

 conspicuously unguiculate, dilated-cuneiform or flabelliform ; 

 the two posterior laciniate-fimbriate or incised at the dilated 

 summit ; the two anterior much smaller, with the lamina 

 palmately parted or dissected into 5 to 9 narrowly linear 

 lobes, which are emarginate or 2 - 3-cleft at the apex. 

 Torus between the petals and the stamens obsolete or mi- 

 nute, bearing, on the posterior side of the pistil, a conspicu- 

 ous and tubular sheath-like appendage as long as the anterior 

 petals, with a truncate or somewhat toothed open orifice at 

 the summit, and which in fruit persists at the base of the 

 stipe. Stamens 6 to 14, inserted with the petals or nearly 

 so, distinct : filaments filiform, unequal when more than 

 six, declined : anthers cordate or somewhat sagittate, fixed 

 by the base, apiculate ; the cells introrsely dehiscent. Ova- 

 ry oblong-linear or lanceolate, declined with the stamens, 

 more or less stipitate, one-celled with two parietal placenta? : 

 style filiform, short : stigma obtuse. Ovules very numer- 

 ous on each placenta. 



Capsule silique-shaped, linear-lanceolate, nearly terete, 

 stipitate on a short gynophore, one-celled, two-valvcd ; the 

 valves membranaceous, reticulated, separating from the fili- 



