SYNOPSIS, xii 
SWEET PEA, or LATHYRUS, from Greek intensive pretix 
la, and thowros, raging, the seeds being supposed to promote excitement if 
eaten, N.O., Fubacee, or Leguminifere. Linnean: 17, Diadelphia ; 
4, Decandria.—The ‘papilionaceous’’ or butterfly flowers represent an 
enormous natural order, comprising herbs, shrubs, and trees, from the 
wayside trefoil to the climbing wisteria and the stately acacia, and the 
useful peas and beans of the garden. The leaves are alternate, usually 
compound, but sometimes simple. The flowers are irregular, with calyx 
of five unequal teeth; the corolla is composed of five unequal petals, of 
which one is larger than the rest and envelops them. This is called the 
standard ; the two lateral petals are the wings ; the two under petals, which 
are equally united, form what is called the /ve/.. There are many deviations 
from this typical structure, and in some few instances the corolla consists 
of five equal petals, stamens generally ten. The fruit is always a pod, 
generally dry, many-seeded, opening in two valves, or unopening, as in 
sophora, The seeds of many plants of this order are well known for their 
uses as food, but some of them are poisonous, and the order includes plants 
that produce powerful drugs. p. 113. 
HONEYSUCKLE, or CAPRIFOLIUM. The generic name 
means goat-leaf, because, we suppose, of the tendency of the plant to climb ; 
but such etymologies are unsatisfactory. N.O., Caprifoliacea, LINNmAN: 
5, Pentandria; 1, Monogynia,—An interesting order, comprising, for the 
most part, deciduous twining shrubs. An important section is the genus 
Lonicera, named atter Adam Lonicer, which is closely related to the genus 
Caprifolium. The flowers in this order are usually formed of a five-lobed 
calyx and a five-lobed corolla, each consisting of only one piece; the fruit is 
a berry. The associates of the honeysuckles are the elders, viburnums, 
snowberries, weigelas, cobieas, and lycesterias, all of which are of free 
growth, and tree-like or sub-shrubby. They are all temperate or sub-arctic 
plants, and belong exclusively to the northern hemisphere. In their 
properties they are scarcely attractive, although the elder has sonie claims 
to a leading place in the economic garden because of its styptic juice, which 
may be taken as elder wine or indirectly as port wine, the berries being used 
both to colour and flavour the more expeusive liquor. pe AIT. 
CRIMSON FLAX, or LINUM. The generic uame is from 
linon, flax, from which we have linen, line, lint, linseed, ete. N.O., Linacew. 
Linnman: 5, Pentandria; 5, Pentayynia.—The order comprises herbs and 
woody plants, with entire leaves and hermaphrodite flowers. The calyx and 
corolla are each of five pieces, and the stamens agree in number and are 
alternate with the petals. The fruit is a capsule containing many compressed 
ovate seeds which are without albumen, and have a mucilaginous integu- 
ment. The common flax is Linn usatissenimn, oue of the most useful of 
plants, the history of which carries us back to the earliest days of civilisa- 
tion. It is believed to be a native of Egypt; but that belief may rest upon 
