DICOTYLEDONOUS PLANTS. 45 



corolla, alternating with them, and inserted upon the corolla- 

 tube. Ovary usually 2-celled. Style single or somewhat 

 divided. Flowers always perfect, frequently dimorphous (as 

 in Houstonia, Mitchella, and Bouvardia). Mainly a tropical 

 family, including many important trees. 



I. HOUSTONIA, BLUETS. 



Calyx 4-lobed, persistent. Corolla salver-shaped or funnel- 

 shaped. Stamens 4, inserted on the corolla. Style 1 ; stigmas 

 2. Ovary 2-celled. Capsule often 2-lobed, its upper portion 

 projecting from the calyx-tube and unconnected with it. Seeds 

 few-several in each cell. Mowers dimorphous. 



(H. ccERULEA), Bluets, Innocence, Quaker Ladies, Eye- 

 bright. A delicate, smooth herb, with slender, erect, forking stems 

 3-5 in. high, from thread-like rootstocks; leaves ovate-spatulate or 

 oblong-spatulate, about J in. long; peduncle erect and thread-like, 

 1 or 2-flowered ; corolla sky-blue, varying to lavender or whitish, 

 with a yellow eye ; tube long and narrow ; pod broad and somewhat 

 2-lobed. Perennial. 



II. MITCHELLA, PARTRIDGE BERRY. 



Flowers growing in pairs, joined by their ovaries. Calyx 

 4-toothed. Corolla funnel-shaped, with the lobes bearded 

 within. Stamens 4, short. Style 1, stigmas 4, slender. 

 Fruit double, composed of the united ovaries, berry-like, but 

 really a stone-fruit containing 8 seed-like bony nutlets. A 

 pretty trailing evergreen herb, with roundish-ovate, petioled 

 leaves, fragrant white or pinkish dimorphous flowers, and 

 tasteless scarlet berries which cling to the plant through the 

 winter. 



(M. KEPENS), Partridge Berry, Squaw Vine, Two-eye Berry. 

 Common in dry woods, especially under evergreen coniferous trees. 



III. BOUVARDIA. 



Calyx 4-lobed, the divisions slender. Corolla with a long 

 and narrow or rather trumpet-shaped tube and spreading 

 4-lobed limb. Anthers 4, inserted in the throat of the 



