32 COMMON CANADIAN WILD PLANTS. 



O.UDEB, XVI. CARYOPHYLLA'CE^. (Pink Family.) 

 Herbs with opposite (occasionally whorled) and entire 

 Jeaves, the stems swollen at the joints. Flowers regular, -with 

 the parts mostly in fives, occasionally in fours. Stamens 

 not more than twice as many as the petals. Styles 2-5, 

 stigmatio along the inner side. Pod usually 1-celled, with 

 the seeds attached to the hase, or to a column which, rises 

 from the centre of the cell. (Part I., Fig. 194.) 



Synopsis of tlic Gcucra. 



*'Sepals united into a tnhe or cup. - Petals and stamens home on the 

 stalk of tile ovary ; petals with long narrow claws. 



1. Snpoiia'rlii. Calyx cylindrical or 5-angled. Styles 2. 



2. Sile'iic. Calyx 6-toothed. Styles 3. 



3. KycU'iiis. Calyx 5-toothed. Styles 5. 



* * Sepals separate to the hase or nearly so. Petals without claws, they 



and the stamens inserted at the base of the sessile ovary. 



Low herbs. 



-t~ Stipules none. 



i. Ariniii'rin. Petals not cleft at the apex. Styles usually 3. Pod 

 splitting into 3 or 6 valves. 



5. Stelln'rln. Petals 2-cleft at the apex. Podspllttlngtothebaseinto 



twice as many valves as there are styles. Styles generally 3. 



6. Ceras'tliiiu. Petals 3-cleft, or notched. Styles 6. Pod opening at 



the apex by 10 teeth. 



7. Sagl'iia. Petals 4 or 6, entire. Stamens as many or twice as many. 



Styles 4 or 5, Pod 4-o-vaIved. 



■<- -t- Stipules present. 



8. BiMl.t. Styles 3. Pod 3-valved, short. Leaves filiform or linear, 



oppo^te. 



9. Spcr'giila. Styles 5. Valvcsof the podopposite the sepals. Leaves 



thread-like, whorled. 



1. S.4.PWMAKIA, L. SOAPWOBT. 



1. S. offleina'Iis, L. (Bounoino Bet.) A stout perennial, 

 with rose-coloured or pinkish flowers clustered in corymbs. 

 Leaves 3-5-ribbed, the lower ovate, upper lanceolate. Pod 

 raised on a, short stalk. Styles 2. — Old gardens and road- 

 sides. 



2. S. vaeca'ria, L. (Common Cow-hebb.) Annual, gla- 

 brous. Flowers pale red. in corymbed Cymes. Calyx 5- 

 angled, wing-angled in fruit. — Waste places. 



