132 , BALSAMINACEiE. 



rest of the bud from the receptacle and carries it upwards on its apex, like 

 the calyptra of a Moss. These minute fertile flower-buds, which begin to 

 be produced earlier than the ordinary blossoms, were several years since 

 pointed out to me by Dr. Torrey in our native species, and are mentioned 

 in his Flora of the State of New York. They had already been noticed 

 in the European Touch-me-not by Mr. Weddel ; * but I am not aware 

 that the frequent sterility of the ordinary, conspicuous flowers, and its 

 cause, had been observed. 



Several more or less conflicting opinions prevail respecting the morphology 

 of the irregular floral envelopes in this family, and how they are to be di- 

 vided between the calyx and the corolla. Those of Roper and of Kunth 

 are best sustained; and differ chiefly (when the flower, which Kunth takes 

 as it hangs resupinate on the stalk, is brought into its proper position) as re- 

 spects the anterior, eraarginate leaf of the flower. This Roper counts as 

 a petal, referring to the calyx only the two lateral sepals and the spur ; the 

 two anterior sepals which are needed to complete its symmetry being abor- 

 tive or wanting in Impatiens. The view of Kunth, and also of Arnott, who 

 consider this organ as a pair of sepals united by their contiguous margins, 

 is that which is adopted in this work. It accords better than any other 

 with the more regular, though minute, fertile flower-buds (Plate 153, Fig. 

 5), in which I observe no organs corresponding to the rudimentary ante- 

 rior sepals of Roper ; but I have no opportunity of comparing it with Hy- 

 drocera. 



The plants of this family are not endowed with any important useful prop- 

 erties. Their succulent stems abound with a watery juice, which is slightly 

 acrid, and is said to be diuretic. The blossoms are usually ornamental. 



* Vide Adr. de Jussieu, Monographie des Malpigkiac6es, p. 85. 



