520 



BOTANY 



Cress ; Cochlearia Armoracia, Horse-Radish ; Saphanus sativus, Garden Radish ; 



Camelina sativa, Oil-seed or False Flax. 



Officinal. — Brassica nigra, the 

 Black Mustard, yields Semen 

 Sinapis. Herba Cochleariae is ob- 

 tained from the herbaceous parts of 

 Cochlearia officinalis, Scurvy Grass, 

 a glabrous herb growing wild on the 

 sea-coast, bearing white flowers and 

 globose siliculse. 



Family Capparidaceae. — Flowers 

 usually ztgomorphic ; perianth as in 

 the Oruciferae ; androecium 4 - <» ; 

 gyncecium 2 - oo ; OVARY STALKED ; 

 seeds without endosperm. Herbs 

 and shrubs of the warmer zones. 

 The flower-buds of Capparis spinosa, a 

 Mediterranean shrub, are familiar as 

 capers (Fig. 480). 



Family Fumariaeeae. — 



Flowers transversely zygomor- 

 PHIC ; calyx dimerous ; corolla of 



Fig. 480.— Capparis spinosa. 1, Flowering branch ; TWO DIMEROUS WHORLS; andros- 

 2, fruit; 3, the same in transverse section. dum usual ] y cons i st ing of TWO 

 (After WossiDio.) J ° 



tripartite STAMENS ; gyncecium 

 dimerous ; seeds with endosperm (Fig. 481). 



The plants included in this family are glabrous, often glaucous 

 herbs with divided leaves. The flowers are disposed in racemose 

 inflorescences with both subtending bracts 

 and bracteoles, or in some cases with bracts 

 only. One of the two outer petals and 

 sometimes both are prolonged into a spur 

 (e.g. Fumaria, Corydalis). The ANDROECIUM 

 of Hypecoum consists of 2 + 2 stamens. The 

 other genera have two tripartite stamens 

 inserted opposite the outer petals ; the central 

 filament of each group bears a perfect anther, 

 the two lateral filaments only half an anther 

 each (Fig. 481, b). The modification from 

 the normal type exhibited in such andrcecia 

 is due to splitting and displacement of the 

 stamens. The two lateral filaments, with 

 their bilocular anthers, represent distinct 

 halves of the inner stamens, that have be- 

 come adherent to the stamens of the outer 

 whorl. 



The majority of this small family are natives of the North Temperate Zone. 



Fio. 481. — Corydalis aurea. a, 

 Part of axis of raceme with a 

 flower; !), style and stamens. 

 (x2.) 



