PAIUBTALES. 



553 



G. pungens, of Soutli America, are fine flowering plants cultivated in 

 gardens. 



Order Cruciferse. — The Crucifer Family. Herbs and a few low shrubs 

 with actinomorpliio flowers, tetradynamous stamens, and seeds without 

 endosperm (Fifrs. 538-41). This large order includes 173 genera and 

 about 1800 species, which are distributed throughout the temperate re- 

 gions of the world, but are most abundant in Southern Europe and 

 Asia Minor. The prevailing principle in the order is pungent and stim- 

 ulant. 



The order is divided by Bentham and Hooker into ten tribes, distin- 

 guished by the shape of the fruit and the disposition of the cotyledons 

 in the seed, whether incumbent or accumbent (Figs. 536 to 541). 



The order furnishes a few food plants of some importance. 



Brassica oleracea, a wild plant of the Atlantic coast of Europe, is 



Pigs. 531-5. — Illustrations op Crucifeb.e (Shbpheed's Ptjbsb). 



Fia. 533. 



Fig. B33. 



Fig. B34. 



Fig 535. 



Fig. 531. — ^Vertical section o flower. Magnilittd. 



Fig. 532. — Pistil and stamens. Magnified. 



Fig. 533.— Ripe capsule spli ting open. Magnified. 



Fig. 534. — Seeds on pluc^iitae, the capsule-valves removed. 



Fig. 535.— CrosB-section of capsule. Magnified. 



Magnifletl, 



probably the original form from which have been derived by long cul- 

 tivation the following races, which are now almost, if not quite, entitled 

 to be regarded as species, differing as they do fully asmuch from one 

 another as many wild species : 



Mace I. Cauliflower, in which the thickened and consolidated flower 

 peduncles constitute the edible portion of the plant. 



Bace II. Bore Cole or Kale, in which the expanded but tender leaves 

 of the tall stem are the edible parts. 



Bace III Brussels Sprouts, resembling the last, but with thick edi- 

 ble buds in the axils of the leaves. 



Bace IV. Cahiage, in which the leaves do not expand, but form a sin- 

 gle large thick edible bud or " head," 



