CRUCIFER^-MUSTARD FAMILY 



The Crucifers are not martyrs, as their name might imply; on 

 the contrary, they constitute a most vigorous and highly organized 

 floral group, thoroughly equipped to succeed in the struggle for 

 life. They have developed and applied two important principles: 

 the first, to make one stem do duty for many flowers; the second, 

 to permit no blossom at the tip of the flowering stem, so ending 

 its upward growth. Each flower has four sepals, and four petals 

 arranged in the form of a Greek cross, whence the name, Crucif- 

 ercB. The stamens are six, four long and two short. The pistil 

 is two-celled and in fruit forms a pod whose sides split off from 

 the central plate, leaving the seeds free to fall; this technically 

 is called a silique. 



The family is made up principally of herbs with watery, 

 pungent juice, alternate leaves, and flowers either in racemes or 

 corymbs. 



STOCK. GILLIFLOWER 



Maiihlola incana. 



Matihiola, in honor of Dr. Matthiol, an Italian botanist; 1500-1577. 



Biennial or perennial, but best treated as an annual; becoming woody 

 at base. Native to the Mediterranean region. 



Stem. — Stiff, cylindrical, erect, branching. 



Leaves. — Alternate, oblong, entire, obtuse, tapering to a petiole. 



Flowers. — Single or double, borne in short terminal racemes which 

 lengthen during the flowering period; colors range from white through 

 rose, crimson, purple, and parti-colored, fragrant. 



Calyx. — Two lateral sepals slightly saccate; other two narrow, with- 

 out sacs. 



Petals. — With long claws and wide-spreading border. 



Siliques. — Three to four inches long, erect; seeds broad, winged. 



