330 THE CLASSIFICATION OF PLANTS 



(vii) Calyx. — Inferior or superior ; polysepalous or gamosepalous ; number 

 and form of the sepals or lobes of the calyx. 



(viii) Corolla. — Hypogynous, perigynous or epigynous ; polypetalous or 

 gamopetalous ; number, form and colour of petals or lobes of corolla. 



(ix) Andracium. — Hypogynous, perigynous, epigynous or epipetalous ; free, 

 monadelphous, diadelphous, polyadelphous or syngenesious ; di- or tetra- 

 dynamous. 



(x) GyiuBcium. — Superior or inferior ; apocarpous or syncarpous ; number 

 of carpels, styles and stigmas ; if syncarpous, whether ovary is one, two or 

 more celled ; ovules on axile, parietal or free central placentas. 



(xi) Fruit. — Dry or succulent ; indehiscent, splitting or dehiscent ; 

 kind. 



The following may be taken as an example of plant description : — 



Bulbous buttercup (Ranunculus bulbosus L.). 



Habit. — A hairy perennial with bulbous rootstocks, erect stems about a 

 foot high, divided leaves and yellow flowers ; common in meadows and 

 pastures^ 



Root. — Fibrous. 



Stem. — Herbacebus, lower part bulb-like, branches erect ; peduncles 

 furrowed. 



Leaves. — Radicle and cauline; cauline leaves alternate; simple, exstipulate ; 

 lower leaves with long petioles ; upper leaves cut into narrow segments ; the 

 blade cut irregularly into three lobes which are tri-partite. 



Inflorescence. — Definite ; the main axis and its branches, each end in a single 

 flower. 



Flower. — Complete, actinomorphic. 



Calyx. — Inferior, polysepalous, five sepals, reflexed. 



Corolla. — Hypogynous, polypetalous, five petals, yellow, each petal with a 

 nectary at its base. 



Andracium. — Hypogynous ; stamens free and indefinite. 



Gyncecium. — Superior, apocarpous, carpels many spirally arranged on a 

 conical receptacle. 



Fruit. — Many nree achenes. 



Ex. 173.— After describing the plant as in previous Ex., their position in 

 the Vegetable Kingdom should be assigned in accordance with the following 

 scheme : — 



(i) Division. 

 (ii) Sub-division. 

 (iii) Class. 

 (iv) Sub-class. 

 (v) Order. 

 (vi) Genus. 

 (vii) Species, 



