158 



ORDER LIV. CRASSULACE^ — STCtNE-GROP-FAMILY. ORDER LV. SAXIFRAGACE^ — SAXIFRAGE-FAMILT, 



long peduncles ; fertile ones on short peduncles, smaller ; both nsnally from the 

 same axils; fruit somewhat spiny, in crowded clusters, each containing 1 large 

 seed- A climbing vine, on the borders of rivers and streams; sometimes culti- 

 vated, and thence straying Into waste grounds. July. 



2. CtrCUMIS. 

 Flowers monoecious or perfect. Calyx tubular-camp anul ate. 

 Segments subulate. Corolla deeply 5-parted. Sterile flowers — 

 Stamens 5, triadelphous. Fertile flowers — Style short. Stigmas 

 thick, 2-parted. Pepo fleshy, indehiscent. Seeds ovate, without 

 margins, compressed. An. 



1. C. eativus. Cucumher, 



stem rough, prostrate and trailing; tendrils simple; leaves somewhat cor- 

 date, palmately 6-angled or lohed ; lobes nearly entire, acute ; the terminal one 

 longest; fruit oblong, obtusely-angled, on a short peduncle, prickly when 

 young; flowers yellow, so]ita,iy, axillary. Universally cultivated for its green 

 fruit, which is either prepared and eaten fresh, or pickled. June— Sep. 



2. G. Melo. Music Melon. 



stem prostrate, trailing, rough; tendrils simple; leaves roundish, somewhat 

 cordate, palmately 5-angled or lobed ; lobes rounded, obtuse, slightly denticu- 

 late ; flowers sterile, fertile and perfect, yellow ; fruit oval or suhglobose. Cul- 

 tivated for the sweet and juicy flesh of its ripe fruit. June— July. 



3. C. Citrullus. Water Melon. 



Stem slender, prosti*ate, trailing, hairy ; leaves palmately 5-lobed, very glau- 

 cous beneath; lobes mostly sinuate-pinnatifid, with obtuse segments; flowers 

 yellow, solitary, bracted at base, on hairy peduncles; fruit smooth, elliptical or 

 suhglobose, marked with various shades of green, very juicy. Cultivated for 

 its large fruit, filled with sweet, refreshing juice. Jane — Aug. 



8. CUC-d'RBITA. 

 Flowers monoecious. Corolla campanulate. Petals united and 

 cohering with the calyx. Sterile flowers — Calyx 5-toothed. 

 Stamens 5, triadelphous, with united, straight anthers. Fertile 

 FLOWERS — Calyx 6-toothed, upper part deciduous after flowering. 

 Stigmas 3, thick, 2-lobed. Pepo fleshy or woody, 3 — 5-celled, 

 Seeds obovate, compressed, smooth, with thickened margins. An. 



1. C. Pepo. Pumjpkin. 



Plant rough and hispid ; stem procumbent; tendrils branched ; leaves very 

 large, cordate, palmately 5-lohed or angled, denticulate ; flowers large, axillary, 

 yellow ; sterile ones on long peduncles; fruit very large, roundish, umbilicate, 

 smooth, furrowed, torulose and yellow, when ripe. Common in cultivation, 

 especially for cattle, and also for culinary purposes. July. 



2. 0. Melopepo. 



Flat Squash. 



Hairy; stem procumbent; tendrils branched; leaves cordate, somewhat 

 palmately 5-Iobed, denticulate; flowers yellow; fruit depressed, orbicular, with 

 torulose or tumid margins, smooth or warty. A well-known kitchen vege- 

 table, cultivated for its fruit, which varies much in shape and in color, from 

 yellow to cream-color or white. 



3. C. verrucosa. Grooh-nech Squash. 



Hairy- stem procumbent ; leaves cordate, deeply and palmately 5-lobed, 

 denticulate, the middle lobe narrowed at base; flowers yellow, pedunculate, 

 large ; fruit clavate, often elongated and curved inward at base, A kitchen 

 vegetable, equally common with the last. July. 



4. C. ov'ifera. 



Egg Squash. 



Hairy; stem procumbent; leaves cordate, palmately 5-lobed, denticulate, 

 hairy ; calyx obovate ; fruit obovate, striped with longitudinal lines. A com- 

 mon kitchen vegetable. JiUy. 



Order LIV. 



CrassiTlaceaB.- 

 family. 



-Stone-cro])' 



1. SilDUM. 

 Sepals 4 — 5, more or less united at base. Petals 4 — 5, dis- 

 tinct. Stamens 8 — 10. Carpels 4 — 5, distinct, many seeded, 

 with an entire scale at the base of each. Per. 



\. S. tei'natum. Stone-crojp. 



Leaves smooth, entire, lower ones ternately verticillate, obovate, tapering at 

 base, uppermost ones scattered, lanceolate, sessile ; cyme consisting of about 8 

 spikes; flowers several and octandroos, except the central one, which is decan- 

 drous, all white, sessile, as long as the leafy bracts. A low plant, with stems 

 creeping at base, assurgent above, 8'— 8' long. Native in Canada-West, Penn., 

 and the Western States, Common in cultivation in N. Eng. July — Aug. 



2. S. Telephium. Orpine, Live-forever. 



Koot tuberous, fleshy, white; stem simple, erect, round, leafy; leaves flat- 

 tish, ovate, serrate, obtuse, scattered, sessile ; cymes corymbose, leafy. Flowers 

 white and purple. Common in gardens, and somewhat naturalized. Stems of a 

 purplish color, about 1 foot high, growing in tufts. Aug. 



3. S. acre. Wall-pepper. 



Stems procumbent, branching at base ; leaves minute, somewhat ovate, 

 fleshy, obtuse, alternate, crowded, sessile and nearly erect; cymes few-flowered 

 in 3 divisions, leafy; flowers yellow. A little fleshy plant, rapidly spreading 

 wherever it is planted, and thickly covering the surface. June— July. 



% SEMPEEViVUM. 

 Sepals 6 — 20, slightly united at base. Petals 6 — 20, acumi- 

 nate. Stamens twice as many as the petals. Ovaries with 

 lacerated scales at base. Carpels 6 — 20. Fer. 



1. S. Tectorum. House-leek. 



Herbaceous; leaves thick and fleshy, fringed; offsets spreading. A common 

 plant in gardens, which sends out runners with offsets, and thus propagates it- 

 self, flowering only occasionally. Like many plants of this order, it is so hardy 

 ihat it will grow any where, even on dry walli ^ 



3. PENTH6EUM. 

 Sepals 6, united at base. Petals 6, or none. Stamens 10. 

 Capsules of 5 united carpels, 5-angled, 6-celled, and 5-beaked. 

 Per. 



1. P. sedoides. Virginia Stone-crop. 



Stem erect, somewhat branched, angular above; leaves lanceolate, smooth, 

 acute at both ends, serrate, almost sessile ; flowers yellowish-green, inodorous, 

 in recurved, many-flowered racemes, arranged in a cyme; petals generally 

 none. A very common plant of no beauty, growing S' — 15' high, in moist 

 ground. Aug. — Sep. 



Order LV. 



Saxifragacepe. — Saxifrage- 

 family. 



SYNOPSIS OP THE GENEEA. 



SuBOKDER T. Saxifr^geoe. 



Petals imbricate in prcfloration. Herbs with alternate, or opposite leaves. 



1. SaxIfraga. Petals entire. Stamens 10. Capsule 2-celIed. Flowers in 

 cymes. 



8. TiAEELLA. Petals entire. Stamens 10. Capsule 1-celled. Flowers in 

 racemes. 



2. MiTELLA. Petals pectinately divided. Stamens 10. Capsule 1-celled. 



4. CiiKYSOSPLENiuM. Petals none. Stamens 8—10. Aquatic, 



SuEOKDER 11. Hydrangeas. 



Petals valvate in prefloration. Shrubs with opposite leaves. 



5. Hydrangea. Flowers in cymes ; marginal ones usually larger and 

 sterile ; the others perfect. 



Sjbordee hi. Philad^lphese. 



Petals convolute in prefloration. Shrubs with opposite leaves. 



6. Philadelphus, Flowers in racemose, few-flowered clusters. Stamens 

 20—40. 



1. SASfFRAGA 

 Sepals 6, more or less united, often coherent with the base ol 

 the ovary. Petals 5, inserted on the calyx-tube, entire. Stamens 

 10. Anthers 2-celled, opening longitudinally. Capsule of 2, 

 more or less united carpels, 2-eelled below, opening between the 

 2 divergent beaks. Seeds numerous. Per. 



1. S. Virginiensis. Early Saxifrage. 



Leaves mostly radical, ovate, or spatulate-obovate, crenately toothed, on 

 broad petioles ; scape mostly naked, paniculately branched above. Flowera 

 small, white, numerous, cymose; calyx adherent to the base of the ovary; 



