146 



POPULAR FLORA. 



1. Maryland Senna. Root perennial; stems 3° or 4° high ; leaflets 6 to 9 pairs, lance-oblong, 1' or 



more long, used for medicine instead of the imported senna. Rich soil. C. Marilcmdica. 



2. Paktridge-Pea S. Annual, low, spreading; leaflets 10 to 16 pairs, linear-oblong, i' long; flowers 

 large and showy ; anthers 10, six of them purple. Sandy fields. C. ChamcBcrista. 



&■ Sensitive S. Flowers small, short-stalked; anthers only 5 : otherwise like the last. C. nictitans. 



33. ROSE FAMILY. Order ROSACEiE. 

 A large and most important family of plants, distinguished by having alternate leaves 

 with stipules, and regular flowers ; their generally 6 petals (sometimes wanting) and sta- 

 mens (generally numerous, at least 

 above 10) inserted on the persistent 

 calyx. The seeds are few and their 

 whole kernel is embr}0, as is seen in 

 an almond (Fig 36), Apple-seed, or 

 Cherry-seed (Fig. 38), &c. The 

 family furnishes some of our most 

 esteemed fruits : all the plants are 

 innocent, e.-ccept the strong-scented 

 foliage and bark, in the Almond sub- 

 family. For figures illustrating this 

 family, see those of Cherry-blossom 

 (Fig. 193), Hawthorn-blossom (Fig. 

 194), the fruit of Apple and Quince, 

 (Fig. 200 and 201), Peach (Fig. 

 202), Rose and Strawberiy (Fig. 220 

 - 222), and the annexed figures. 



I. ALMOND SiiiiFAMiijY. Pistil only one, free from the calyx, becoming a stone-fruit. — Trees or 

 shrubs with simple leaves ; the bruised bark and foliage with a peculiar aromatic scent and flavor. — 

 The plants of this division are all ranked under two great genera {Amygdalus and Prumis), but under 

 several subgenera, here adopted for the convenience of the common names. 



Calyx with a rather deep cup. Petals rose or red-pnrple. Stone of the fruit rough. 



Flesh of the fruit becoming a dry husk. We have the dwarf Flowering- Almond in 



gardens, with double flowers. It does not form fruit here, (Amygdalus) *-Ai.MONn. 



Flesh pulpy: surface downy (or in Nectarine smooth), (Persic^t) *rEAOi[. 



Calyx with a short and broad cup. Petals white. Stone of the fruit smooth, and 



Flattened, with grooved edges: skin of the fruit downy, (Armeniaca) * Apricot. 



Flat or flattish, generally edged: fruit smooth, with a bloom, (Pnmus) Plum. 



Roundish or globular: fruit smaller, smooth, without a bloom, (O-'rosus) Cherry. 



II. ROSE SuiiFAMiLY. Pistils few or many (rarely only one), separate from each other and free 

 from the persistent calyx, but sometimes (as in the Rose, Fig. 360) enclosed and concealed in its tube 

 Stipules generally united with the bottom of the leafstalk on each side. 



330. Section of a Rose-bud. 



361. American Crab-Apple. 



