NYMPHjBACEjE. 



431 



often having an appendage at the hase on the inside. Stamens equal 

 in number to the petals, and opposite to themj anthers adnate, 

 bilocular (dithecal), each of the loculi opening by a valve from the 

 bottom to the top. Carpel solitary, unilocular, containing 2-12 ana- 

 tropal ovules ; style sometimes lateral ; stigma orbicular. Fruit 

 baccate or capsular, indehiscent. Albumen fleshy or horny ; embryo 

 straight, sometimes large (figs. 589, 590, p. 332).— Shrubs or her- 

 baceous perennial plants, with alternate, compound, exstipulate leaves 

 and flowers often in racemes (fig. 252, p. 175). The true leaves are 

 often changed into spines, by non-development of parenchyma and 

 induration of the veins (fig. 236 /, p. 119). Pound chiefly in the 

 mountainous parts of the temperate regions of the northern hemi- 

 sphere. The plants of the order have bitter and acid properties. The 

 bark and stem of Berberis vulga/ris, common Barberry, are astringent, 

 and yield a yellow dye and a crystalline matter called Berberine ; the 

 fruit contains oxalic acid, and is used as a preserve. Berberis Lycium 

 is used in India for ophthalmia. The genus Podophyllum is placed 

 in this order by some botanists (see Ranunculacese). Lindley enume- 

 rates 12 genera, including 109 species. Examples — Berberis, Mahonia, 

 Epimedium, Diphylleia, Leontice, Lardizabala. 



Order 7.—'Nym.fsmac^m, the Water-lily family (figs. 341, 342, 

 p. 214 ; fig. 669). (Polypet. Hypog.) Sepals 3 to 5, sometimes con- 

 founded with the petals. Petals numerous, often passing gradually 

 into stamens (fig. 342, 2, p. 214), inserted at different heights in a 

 torus. Stamens indefinite, inserted above the petals into the torus (fig. 

 669 c) ; filaments petaloid ; anthers 

 adnate, introrse, opening by two 

 longitudinal clefts. Torus large, 

 fleshy, surrounding the ovary more 

 or less (fig. 669 t). Ovary multilo- 

 cular, many-seeded, with radiating 

 stigmas (fig. 669 s) ; numerous ana- 

 tropal ovules. Fruit many-celled, 

 indehiscent. Seeds very numerous, 

 attached to spongy dissepiments; 

 albumen farinaceous ; embryo small, 

 enclosed in a fleshy vitellus, and 

 situated at the base of the peri- 

 sperm (fig. 576, p. 327). — Aquatic 

 plants, with peltate or cordate fleshy leaves, and a rootstock or stem 

 which extends itself into the mud at the bottom of the water. There 

 are 3 sub-orders ; — 1. Nymphsese, water-lilies ; sepals 4-6, petals and 



Fig. 669. Section of a flower of NymphBea alba, white Water-lily, showing the pistils, 



and the receptacle or torus bearing the stamens and petals, p. Peduncle or flower-stalk. 

 t. Elevated torus or receptacle, s. Radiating stigmas, a. Sepal. 6. Petal, c, Stamens, 



Fig. 669. 



