GEEANIAOE^. 



23 



sepalsji disposed in the bud in qnincuncial prgefloration, and the 

 corolla of five alternate free^ petals, contorted in prgefloration. The 

 androceum is formed of ten stamens with two-celled introrse^ anthers 

 dehiscing by two longitudinal clefts.* Their filaments are free 



Oxalis Acetosellfi. 



or 



Fig. 58. Bud (f). 



Fig. fi9, Diagram. 



Fig. 60. Dehiscent fruit (a). 



Kg. 61. Seed, the outer coat 

 detached. 



Fig. 62. Seed, outer coat 

 removed. 



Fig. 63. Long. sect, of seed, outer 

 coat removed. 



united among themselves below. Those of the alternipetalous 

 stamens^ are longer than the five others, and their filaments bear out- 

 side a tongue of variable length. The gyneeceum is superior, formed 

 of an ovary with five oppositipetalous cells, surmounted by a like 

 number of style branches, swollen to a bifid or lacinate stigmati- 

 ferous head at the apex. 



M^m. Mils. V. 230. — G-jertn. Frttet. ii. 252, t. 

 113.— Lamk. III. t. 391 ; Diet. iv. 675 ; Suppl. 

 iv. 237.— TuEP. in Diet. So. Nat. Atl. t. 132.— 

 DO. I>rodr. i. 690.— Spach, Suit, a Buffon, iii. 

 237.— LiNUL Veg. Kingd. 488, fig. 336.— Ekiii. 

 Qen. n. 6058. — Payee, Organog. 54, t. 11. — A. 

 Gray Gen. III. t. 144.— B. H. aen. 276, 989, n. 

 16. — H. Bn. in Fayer Fmn. Nat. 398. — Lem. et 

 Done. Tr. G^n. Z5T.—0xya T. Inst. 88, t. 19.— 

 Adans. Fam. des PI. ii. 388. — Biophylvm DC. 

 Prodi: i. 689.— Spach, loc. cit. 268. 



1 Some or all of them often bear two or 

 several collateral yellow spots near each other 

 at the summit, like the " glands " of cauline 

 leaves, and presenting a strange modification of 

 tissue. They are perhaps analogous to the 

 anther cells in the stamen. 



^ The coroUa however often falls in one piece, 

 the petals remaining fastened together for a 

 certain distance on account of a peculiarity of 

 their edges similar to that observed in the Linem. 

 The petals often have the two edges a little un- 

 symmetrical, the edge covering differing slight- 

 ly from that covered, and sometimes differing 

 in colour. The corolla often opens to the sun 

 and closes again afterwards ; it is generally very 

 caducous like that of the Flax. 



' When more or leas oscillating their face may 

 be turned outwards. 



■* The pollen is formed of ellipsoidal grains 

 with three folds, or is ovoid with outer membrane 

 divided into two semi-lunate bands. (H. Mohl. 

 in Ann. Sc. Nat. ser. 2, iii. 335.) 



* More or less interior to the five others. 



