OEDEE L. CACTACBiE. OEDEE LV. SAXIFEAGACEjE. 



113 



A large and chiefly tropical order, (listingnislied by dotted leaves, and aro- 

 matic properties. ^Myrtns, the M'jHIp,, and Punica, the Pomegranate, are 

 examples of this family, which al^o in'Mudes the CaryopJiA/lhis aromaticus, 

 or Clove-tree, and the 'Eugenia I'imenta, the dried fruit of which is known in 

 cookery as Allspice. 



GROUP X, 



Order XL VII. — MelastomaceEe. 



Trees, shrubs, or herbs, with square branches. Leaves oppo- 

 site, ribbed, entire. Sepals 4 — 6, united, persistent, forming an 

 urceolate tube, which coheres only with the angles of the ovary. 

 Petals as many as the calyx-segments, twisted in prefloralion. 

 Stamens tv^ice as many as the petals, rarely as many, the fila- 

 ments inflexed in prefloration. Anthers 1-eelled, before flowering 

 contained in the cavities between the calyx and ovary. Fruit a 

 capsule, and nearly free from the investing calyx ; or else 

 baccate. 



A large tropical order, of which the different species of Ehexia (Meadow 

 Seauti/, Deev Grass), are our only representatives. 



Order XL VIII. — Lythracess. 



Herbs, rarely shrubs. Leaves opposite, or vertioillate, rarely 

 alternate, entire. Caly* tubular, 4 — 7-lobed, the lobes some- 

 times with intermediate teeth. Petals inserted between the 

 calyx-segments, very deciduous, or none. Stamens as many as 

 the petals, or 2 — 1 times as many, inserted on the calyx-tube. 

 Ovary inclosed in the calyx-tube, but not adherent, 2 — i-celled. 

 Style 1. Capsule membranous, usually 1-celled by abortion. 

 Seeds small, attached to a central placenta, destitute of albumen. 



An unimportant, mostly tropical order, represented among us chiefly by the 

 Lythrum and Decodon. 



Order XLIX.- 



Fig. 10. 



-Onagraceae. 



Herbs, or shrubs. 

 Flowers axillary, in 

 spikes, or racemes. Se- 

 pals united in a tubular 

 2 — 6 lobed calyx Pe- 

 tals usually as many as 

 the calyx-lobes, and alter- 

 nate with them,sometimes 

 none. Stamens as many, 

 or twice as many, in- 

 serted in the calyx-throat, 

 1 — 8. Filaments distinct. 

 Ovary coherent with the 

 calyx-tube, 2 — 4, or by 

 abortion 1 — 2-oelIed. 

 Style prolonged, or fili- 

 form. Fruit baccate, or 

 capsular; sometimes dry 

 and indehiscent. 



A rather large order, abun- 

 dant almost throughout Ame- 

 rica, comprehending ' some 

 ornamental plants, but other- 

 wise not very remarkable. 

 The Epilobium ( Willow- 

 7ierd\ and CEnothera (Evening 

 Primrose)^ fig. 10, arc na- 

 tives; and the beautiful Fus- 

 chia, or Lady^s Eardrop, is 

 cultivated among us. 



Order L. — CactaceEe. 



Succulent, shrubby plants, almost always destitute of leaves, 

 and producing spinose buds. Stems usually angular, or flattened, 

 or columnar. Flowers sessile, showy. Sepals numcroiis, forming 

 a tube, which .idheres to the ovary, completely inclosing it. Pe- 

 tals indefinite, oiften passing into the sepals, inserted into the 

 calyx-tube over the summit of the ovary. Stamens indefinite, 

 attached to the base of the petals, with long filaments and versa- 



15 



tile anthers. Ovary 1-celled, fleshy. Style single, forming a 

 stellate cluster with several anthers. Fruit a many-seeded berry. 

 A very remarkable order of shrubby plants, distinguished by their curious 

 structure and splendid flowers. They are all American, and chiefly confined to 

 the tropics. The fruit of several species is edil>le ; the acid juice of others af- 

 fords a cooling draught for the traveller, in those arid regions where tliey 

 abound ; tlie Torch Thistles, which grow to the height of -30 or 40 feet, supply 

 the natives with wood; and several other species give food to the precious co- 

 chineal insect, which yields the beautiful red dye known by its name. Tlio 

 Opuntia {Prickly Pear) is fbund native as far north as Massachusetts ; and se- 

 veral species of Cereus and Melocactus, are cultivated among us, under the 

 common name of Cactus. 



Order LI. — Grrossulaceffi. 



Shrubs, unarmed or prictly. Leaves alternate, palmately 

 lobed, plaited in vernation. Flowers in axillary racemes. Calyx 

 5-cleft, regular, marcescent, the tube adherent to the ovary. 

 Petals 5, inserted in the calyx-tube, alternate with its segments. 

 Stamens 6, alternate with the petals, very short. Ovary 1-eelled, 

 with 2 parietal placentae. Styles 2, distinct, or nnited. Fruit a 

 berry, crowned by the withered flower. 



An order containing merely the genus Ribes, of which all our Currants and 

 Gooseberries are species. 



GEOUP XL 



Order LII. — Passifloraceee. 



Herbaceous or shrubby, usually climbing plants. Leaves al- 

 ternate, with leafy stipules. Flowers large, showj, often with a 

 3-leaved involucre. Sepals 4 — 5, nnited below mto a tube of 

 varied length, the throat of which is usually lined with a ring of 

 filamentous processes. Petals 4 — 5, sometimes irregular or want- 

 ing. Stamens 4 — 5, monadelphous, surrounding and adhering to 

 the stalk of the free, 1-celled, stipitate ovary. Styles 3 — 4, ola- 

 vate. Fruit naked, or else merely surrounded by the persistent 

 calyx, sometimes dehiscent, sometimes fleshy and indehiscent, 

 many-seeded. 



A chiefly tropical order, producing some ornamental flowers, and sometimes 

 edible fruits, as the Grehadilla, which is the fruit of a species of Passiflora, or 

 Passion-flower, One species, the Passiflx)ra earulea, is common in cultiva- 

 tion. 



Order LIII. — Cuciirbitaceas. 



Succulent herbs, climbing, or creeping by tendrils. Leaves 

 alternate, palmately lobed and veined, coarse and rough. Flowers 

 monoecious, or polygamous. Calyx 5-lobed. Petals 6, united to- 

 gether, attached to the calyx, very cellular, and much reticulated 

 in structure. Stamens 5, united in 1 or 3 sets, rarely 3, and dia- 

 delphous. Anthers very long, variously wavy and contorted, 2- 

 ceHed. Ovary adherent to the calyx-tube, 1-celled, with 3 pari- 

 etal plaeentte. Fruit a pepo, rarely membranous, and 1 — 4- 

 seeded. Seeds flat. 



A very important, chiefly tropical order, which affords many nourishing and 

 delicious fruits. They are, however, pervaded by a bitter cathartic piineiiilc 

 which is sometimes so active as to make them poisonous. The Colocynth and 

 Elaterium, well known articles of the Materia Aledica, are found here. The 

 Pumpkin, Squash, Cucumber, Gourd, and Melon, are examples among oui 

 cultivated ftuits. 



Order LIV. — Crassulaceffi. 



Succulent herbs, or shrubby plants. Leaves simple, without 

 stipules. Flowers usually in cymes. Sepals 3 — 20, more or less 

 united at base, persistent. Petals as many as the sepals, rarely 

 cohering together, sometimes none. Stamens as many as the se- 

 pals, and alternate with them, or twice as many, inserted on the 

 calyx Ovaries as many as the petals, and opposite to them. 

 Follicles as many as the ovaries, many-seeded. 



An unimportant order of succulent plants, growing in dry and arid soils and 

 districts. Sedum (Orpine, Live-forever) and Sempervivum (Ilouseleek), 

 are examples. 



Order LV. — Saxifragacece. 



Herbs, or shrubs. Leaves alternate, or opposite, sometimes 

 stipulate. Sepals 4 or 5, more or less cohering, persistent. Pe 

 tals 4 or 5, inserted between the calyx lobes, rarely wanting. 



