EXOGENOUS OR DICOTYLEDONOUS PLANTS. 385 



number to the petals and opposite them, or rarely more numerous ; 

 anthers extrorse, the cells commonly opening by an upHfted valve 

 (Fig. 475, 672). Carpel solitary, often gibbous or oblique, forming 

 a one-celled pod or berry in fruit. Seeds sometimes with an aril : 

 embryo (often minute) surrounded with a fleshy or homy albumen. 

 — Ex. The Barberry, the sharp spines of which are transformed 

 leaves ; the Mahonias are Barberries with pinnated leaves. Caulo- 

 phyllum thalictroides, the Blue Cohosh, is remarkable for its eva- 

 nescent pericarp (559), and the consequent naked seeds, which 

 resemble drupes Podophyllum peltatum (the Mandrake) presents 

 an exception to the ordinal character, having somewhat numerous 

 stamens, with anthers which do not open by valves ; but the latter 

 anomaly is also found in Nandina. The order is remarkable for 

 this valvular dehiscence of the anthers, and for the situation of both 

 the stamens and petals opposite the sepals. But this latter pecu- 

 liarity is easily explained away (461). The fruit is innocent or 

 eatable ; the roots, and also the herbage, sometimes drastic or poison- 

 ous, as in Podophyllum. 



748. Ord. NcIumbiaceaB {Nelumbo Family). Aquatic herbs, with 

 large leaves and tlowers, on long stalks arising from a prostrate 

 trunk or rhizoma, which has a somewhat milky juice : the leaves 

 orbicular and centrally peltate. Calyx of four or five sepals, decid- 

 uous. Petals numerous, inserted in several rows into the base of a 

 large and fleshy obeonical torus, deciduous. Stamens inserted into 

 the torus in several rows : the filaments petaloid ; the anthers ad- 

 nate and introrse. Carpels several, separately immersed in hollows 

 of the enlarged flat -topped torus or receptacle (Fig. 427), each con- 

 taining a single anatropous ovule ; in fruit forming hard, round nuts. 

 Seed without albumen : embryo very large, with two fleshy cotyle- 

 dons, and a highly developed plumule. — Ex. The order consists of 

 the single genus Nelumbium, embracing two species ; one a native 

 of Asia, the other of North America. They are cloiefly remarkable 

 for their large and showy leaves and flowers. The nuts are eatable. 

 It should be regarded rather as a suborder of the next. 



749. Ord. NymphfEacese (Trafe?--Zi72/ i^fnw'ft/). Aquatic herbs, with 

 showy flowers and cordate or peltate leaves, arising from a prostrate 

 trunk or rhizoma, and raised on long stalks above the water, or 

 floating on its surface. Calyx and corolla of several or numerous 

 imbricated sepals and petals, which gradually pass into each other ; 

 persistent ; the latter inserted on the fleshy torus which surrounds 



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