SYNOPSIS, 379 



sy:nopsis of the natural ordbes. 



(Taken from Hooker's "Handbook of the New Zealand Flora " and from LeMaout and Deoaisne's 



" System of Botany.") 



A. Phaenogamic or Flowering Plants. 



Class I.-DICOTYLEDONS. 



Stem, when perennial, furnished with pith, concentric layers of wood and bark. 

 Leaves usually with netted venation. Organs of the flower generally 4 or 5 each, 

 or multiples of those numbers. Seeds having an embryo with 2 cotyledons. 

 In germination the radicle lengthens, and forks or branches. 



The exceptions to one or other of these characters are too numerous to be mentioned. 



Subdivision I.— ANGIOSPERMAE, 

 Ovules enclosed in an ovary, and the seeds in a seed-vessel. 



Subclass I. Thalamiflorae. Flowers with both calyx and corolla,. Petals 

 free, and stamens usually inserted immediately beneath the pistil or ovaries. Ovary 

 always superior. 



Exceptions : Petals in Clematis, Myosurus, Ualtha, some species of Gruciferae, Colobanthus, 

 and Stellaria; united at the base in some Portulaceae and Malvaceae. 



Sepals petaloid in Clematis and Caltha. 



Stamens perigynous in some Stellariae and Colobanthus. 



§ 1. Anthers adnate, opening by lateral slits. Pistil apocarpous. 



1. Ranunculaceae. Sepals 3-10, often petaloid. Petals or 5-20. Stamens 

 indefinite. Fruit of many or few achenes or follicles. — Herbs or opposite-leaved 

 climbers, (p. 1.) 



Of the four genera, three have petaloid sepals and no petals. 



2. Magnoliaceae. Sepals and petals forming together three or more series, 



imbricate in aestivation. Carpel 1 or more. — Trees, with alternate exstipulate leaves. 



(p. 21.) 



§ 2. Anthers opening towards the stigma (inwards). Pistil syncarpous. Placentas parietal (rarely 



axile in Pittosporeae_). 



* Papaveraceae. Flowers regular. Stamens oo, free. Ovary 1-celled. — 

 Herbs, rarely shrubs, with alternate leaves and milky juice, (p. 22.) 



* Pumariaceae. Flowers irregular. Stamens 6, in two bundles ; rarely 4, 

 free Ovary 1-celled. — Herbs, erect or climbing. Leaves alternate, usually multifid. 

 (p. 23.) 



3. Gruciferae. Sepals and petals 4. Stamens 6, 4 longer nhan the others. — 

 Herbs, with alternate or rosulate exstipulate leaves, (p. 24.) 



One Lepidium is rather shrubby. Nasturtium sometimes wants petals, and two or more of 

 the stamens. 



* Resedaceae. Calyx 4-8-partite. Petals 4, 8, 2, or 0, often cut. Stamens 

 3_40. Fruit va,rious. — Herbs or shrubs. Leaves alternate, (p. 39-) 



