78 GERANIUM FAMILY. 



3. FLCERKEA. Sepals, small petals, stigmas, and lobes of the ovary 3 ; and 



stamens 6 : otherwise like Limniintties. , .. , ,»„, „„„™„„i» 



4. GKKANIUM. Sepals and petals 5, the former imbricated, the lat er commonly 



convolute in the bud. Glands on the receptacle 5, alten.aie «"th the peta s. 

 Stamens 10, monadelphous at the base, the »"en»"e fi aments sho.ter, but 

 nnudlv bearing an'hers. Style 5-cleft. Ovary 5-celled, S-'obed, the lobes 

 separating when ripe into 5 two-ovuled but one-.eeded carpels or >fje P°d;, 

 which remain hanging by their long naked recurvmg ^t/'^' f,%'h^ « 'P''V„f' 

 from bel.iw umya.rds, from a long central beak or axis. (Lessons, p. 125, 

 fis. 277, 278.) Leaves with stipules Herbage scented. 



6. ERODIUM. Stamens with anthers only 5. styles when they split off from 

 the beak bearded inside, often twisting spirally : otherwise as Gerann.m. 

 ^2. Flowers somemlmt irreijulm; Geraniim-like. Shi-ubby or Jteshy-stemmed. 



6. PELARGONIU.M. Sepals and petals 5 ; the base of one sepal extends down- 

 ward on one side the pedicel forming a narrow tube or adherent spur, and 

 the two petals on tlnit side of the flower dilTer from the rest more or less m 

 size or sfcrne. Stamens with anthers fewer than 10, commonly «. Fistd, &c. 

 ns in Geranium. Herbage scented. Leaves wuh stipules. 

 ^ 3. Flowers very irregular, spurred, also unsymmeirical Tender herbs. 



1. TROI'iEOLU.M. Sepals 5, united at the base, and in the upper side of the 

 flower extended into a long descending spur. Petals 5, or sometnnes fewer, 

 usuady with claws : the two upper mure or less ihfifei-ent from the_ others 

 and inserted at the mouth of the spur. Stamens 8, unequal or dissimilar; 

 filaments u^nallv turned downwards and curving. Ovary of 3 lobes sur- 

 rounding the base of a single stvle, in fruit becoming 3 thick and fleshy 

 closed separate carpels, each containing a single large seed. Herbs, climbhig 

 by their long leafstalks ; the watery juice with the pungent odor and taste 

 of Cress. Leaves alternate: stipules none or minute. Peduncles axillary, 

 one-flowered. 



8. DIP.-VTIKNS. Sepals and petals similarly colored, the parts belonging to each 

 not readily distiiignished. There are 3 small outer pieces, plainly sepals, on 

 one side of the flower : then, on the other side, a large hanging sac contracted 

 at the bottom into a spur or little tail; within are two small unequally 2-lobed 

 petals, one each side of the sac. Stamens 5, short, conniving or lightly 

 cohering around and covering the 5-celled ovary, which in fruit becomes a 

 several-seedeii pod : this bursts elastically. flying in pieces at the touch, 

 scattering the seeds, separating into 5 twisting valves and a thickish axis. 

 Style none. Seeds rather large. Erect, brauohmg, succulent-stemmed herbs, 

 with simple leaves and no stipules. 



1. OXALIS, WOOD-SORREL. (Name from Greek words meaning sour- 

 salt, from the oxalates or " salt-of-sorrcl " contained in the juice.) 

 * Natire species, flowering through the summer : leaflets broadly olicordate. 



O. Striota, Yellow W. Extremely common in waste or cultivated soil 

 and open woodlands ; stems 3'- 12' highi leaty ; slender peduncles bearing an 

 umbel of 2-6 small yellow flowers, followed by slender pods. ® 'il 



O. AeetOs611a, True W. Common in mossy woods N. ; the leafstalks 

 and 1-flowcrcd scapes 2' -4' high from a creeping scaly-toothed rootstock ; 

 flower rather lar^c, white with delicate reddish veins. 2J. 



O. viol&iCea, Violet W. Common S., rarer N., in rocky or sandy soil ; 

 leafstalks and slender scape from a scaly bulb, the flowers several in an umbel, 

 middle-sized, violet. 7J. 



* * Cultivated in conservatories, frotn Cape of Good Hope. 



O. Bdwiei, a stomless species, with a small bulb on a spindle-shaped root; 

 leafstalks anil few-flowered scapes 6'- 10' high; broad obcordato leaflets almost 

 2' long ; petals deep rose-color, 1 ' lonj;. 



O. speci6sa is more haii'y ; leaflets obovate and scarcely notched, com- 

 monly crimson underneath, only 1' long ; scapes short, 1-flowered ; petals 1^' 

 long, i)iiik-red with a yellowish base. 



O. fl^va, from a strong bulb sends up to the surface a short scaly stem, 

 bearing thick flattish leafstalks and short 1-flowered scapes ; the leaflets 6-10 

 and linear ; petals nearly 1' long, yellow, often edged with reddish. 



