DICOTYLEDONOUS PLANTS. 25 



II. CAEDAMINE, BITTER CRESS. 



Pods linear, much as in preceding genus. Seed-stalks 

 slender. Smooth perennials, mostly in springs, brooks, or 

 wet soil. Flowers smaller than in the preceding genus. 



(C. ehomboidea), Spring Ckess. Stems simple, upright or 

 nearly so, from a tuberous base and tuber-bearing rootstock ; root- 

 leaves roundish; lower stem-leaves ovate or oval-diamond-shaped. 

 Flowers white, rather showy. 



(Variety puepukea.) Stems lower ; flowers rose-purple ; less 

 common than the white form. 



III. MATTHIOIA, STOCK, GILLYFLOWEP. 



Pods nearly cylindrical, except for a prominent midrib on 

 each valve ; stigmas large and spreading ; seeds winged ; 

 flowers in showy racemes of many colors ranging from white 

 to crimson. 



(M. incana), Commox Stock. Biennial or perennial, with 

 somewhat woody stems. Cultivated from Europe in greenhouses 

 and gardens. 



IV. CAPSELLA, SHEPHERD'S PURSE. 



Pods flattened at right angles to the partition, short, more 

 or less triangular and notched at the top ; ovules many in 

 each cell. 



(C. BuRSA-PASTORis), CoMMON Shepherd's Purse. A weLL- 

 known weed, by roadsides and in waste ground; leaves varying 

 much in form, those from the base of the stem more or less pinnately 

 parted or cleft, those of the stem arrow-shaped and somewhat clasp- 

 ing ; flowers insignificant, white; raceme lengthening much as the 

 pods mature. 



V. LEPIDIUM, PBPPERGRASS. 



Pods flattened as in the preceding genus, roundish, some- 

 times notched at the top ; ovule only one ih each cell, flowers 

 insignificant, white or greenish. 



(L. Virginicum), Peppergeass, Birds' Pepper, Tongue- 

 GEASS. Pods notched at the top ; petals small ; leaves all tapering 

 at the base, linear or lance-Unear, the larger ones rather deeply and 

 irregularly serrate. 



