64 gekaniacejE. (gekanium family.) 



Synopsis. 



1. TRIBULUS. Carpels 5, transversely few-celled, few-seeded. Herbs. 



2. KALISTROMIA. Carpels 10, 1 -celled, Iseeded. Herbs. 



3. GUAIACUM. Carpels 2-5, compressed, l-seeded. Trees. 



1. TRIBULUS, L. 



Sepals 5, imbricated in the bud, deciduous. Stamens 10. Ovary 5-celled, 

 with 3-5 suspended ovules in each cell. Carpels of the fruit 5, spiny on the 

 back, transversely divided into 2-5 one-seeded cells, separating at maturity, with- 

 out a central axis. Albumen none. — Prostrate herbs. Leaves abruptly pinnate. 

 Peduncles solitary, 1 -flowered. 



1 . T. cistoides, L. Leaves unequal ; leaflets 6-16, linear-oblong, niucro- 

 nate, silky beneath ; peduncles as long as the leaves ; flowers large, yellow. — 

 Key "West. — Stems l°-2° long, hairy. Petals 2-3 times as long as the 

 calyx. 



2. KALLSTEOMIA, Scop. 



Sepals 5-6, persistent, imbricated in the bud. Stamens 10-12. Ovary 10^ 

 12-celled, the cells 1-ovuled. Carpels of the fruit 10-12, separating from each 

 other and from the central axis. Albumen none. — Hairy herbs, with the habit 

 of Tkieulus. 



1 • K. maxima, Torr. & Gray. Leaves nearly equal ; leaflets 6-8, ob- 

 liquely oblong, mucronate, the terminal pair larger; peduncles shorter than the 

 leaves ; petals as long as the bristly calyx, yellow ; carpels rugose on the back. 

 — Key West and Savannah. — Stems l°-2° long. 



3. GUAIACUM, Plum. 



Sepals 5, deciduous. Stamens 10, with naked filaments. Ovary stalked, 

 2-!)-celled, the cells 8-10-ovuled. Carpels of the fruit 2-5, compressed, 1- 

 seedcd. Seed-coat fleshy. Embryo straight in hard thin albumen. — Trees. 

 Leaflets reticulate. Plowers blue or purple. 



1. G. sanctum, L. Branches opposite and forking, jointed, pubescent 

 when young ; leaflets 6 or 8, obliquely obovate or oblong, mucronate, entire ; 

 peduncles single or clustered at the forks of the branches, 1-flowered, shorter 

 than the leaves ; sepals and petals obtuse ; flowers blue. — South Plorida. — A 

 small tree with white bark. Flowers |' wide. Fruit obovate. 



Order 32. GERANIACEjE. (Geranium Family.) 



Herbs or shrubby plants, with tumid joints, alternate or opposite pal- 

 mately lobed stipulate leaves, and hypogynous , and decandrous flowers. 

 — Sepals 5, imbricated in the bud, persistent. Petals 5, convolute in the 

 bud, deciduous. Stamens monadelphous at the base ; the 5 exterior ones 

 shorter and often sterile. Ovaries 5, 2-ovuIed, and, with the persistent 



