438 EESEDACE^. 



Sepals 4-12, often more or less cohering (fig. 654, p. 371). Petals 

 4-8, sometimes 0, cruciate (fig. 654, p), usually unguiculate and un- 

 equal. Stamens hypogynous, 4-6 (fig. 654 e), or 00, but in general 

 some high multiple of four, placed on an elongated hemispherical and 

 often glandular torus (fig. 654 a g). Ovary usually stalked (fig. 

 654 o) ; styles filiform, sometimes ; ovules curved. Fruit unilo- 

 cular, siliquseform and dehiscent, or fleshy and indehiscent, rarely 

 monospermous, usually with two polyspermous parietal placentas. 

 Seeds generally reniform and exalbuminous ; embryo curved ; cotyle- 

 dons foliaceous, flattish. — Herbs, shrubs, sometimes trees, with alter- 

 nate, stalked, undivided, or palmate leaves, which are either exstipu- 

 late or have spines at their base. Capparids may be distinguished 

 from Crucifers by their stamens being often indefinite, or, if definite, 

 scarcely ever tetradynamous, while their ovary is usually stipitate, 

 their fruit often succulent, and their seeds generally reniform. They 

 are found chiefly in warm countries, and are abundant in Africa. There 

 are 23 genera, and 300 species. The order is divided into two sub- 

 orders : — 1. Cleomese, with capsular fruit. 2. Cappareee, with baccate 

 fruit.' Examples — Oleoma, Capparis. , 



The plants of this order have stimulant qualities. The flower- 

 buds of Capparis spinosa furnish capers. The plant is a native of the 

 south of Europe. It, or G. cegyptiaca, is supposed to be the Hyssop 

 {y\\ii) of Scripture ; i)ut there is a difficulty in deciding the point. 

 Some species of Cleome and Polardsia are very pungent, and are used as 

 substitutes for mustard. The pungency of some is so great that they act 

 as blisters. The root of Gleome dodecandra is used as an anthelmintic. 



Order 13. — EESEDACEiE, the Mignonette Family. {Polypet. 

 Hypog.) Calyx many-parted. Petals 4-6, unequal, entire, or lacer- 

 ated, in the latter case consisting of a broad scale-like claw with a 

 much-divided limb. Stamens 3-40, hypogynous, attached to a gland- 

 ular torus ; filaments variously united ; anthers bilocular, innate, with 

 longitudinal dehiscence. Ovary sessile, 3-lobed, 1 -celled, multiovular, 

 with 3-6 parietal placentas ; stigmas 3. Fruit either a unilocular 

 many-seeded capsule, opening at the apex so as to render the seeds 

 seminude (fig. 575, p. 326), or 3-6 few-seeded follicles. Seeds reni- 

 form, usually exalbuminous ; embryo curved ; radicle superior ; coty- 

 ledons fleshy. — Herbaceous plants, rarely shrubs, with alternate, entire, 

 or divided leaves, having gland-like stipules. They iuhabit chiefly 

 Europe and the adjoining parts of Asia. A few are found in the north 

 of India and south of Africa. The uses of the order are unimportant. 

 R&seda Luteola, Weld, yields a yellow dye. Reseda odorata is the 

 fragrant Mignonette. The Mignonette is rendered sufiruticose by 

 preventing the development of its blossoms. This is the origin of the 

 tree Mignonette, which is much cultivated in France. There are 

 6 known genera, and 30 species. Example — Eeseda. 



