308 MANUAL OP BOTANY 



stipulate, without dots, usually imparipinnate, or rarely simple. 

 i^Zoi«e?'S perfect, regular, and symmetrical. Calyx A- or 5 -partite, 

 convolute. Petals unguiculate, 4 or 5, imbricate, hypogynous. 

 Stamens 8 — 10, hypogynous, usually arising from the back of 

 small scales; filaments dilated at the base. Ovary 4 — 5-celled, 

 surrounded by glands or a toothed disc ; style simple ; ovules 2 or 

 more in each cell ; placentas axile. Fruit capsular, dehiscing 

 in a looulicidal manner, or separating into cocci, 4- or 5-celled, 

 and presenting externally as many angles or winged expansions 

 as cells ; rarely indehiscent. Seeds few ; a Ibumen in smaU 

 quantity, or rarely absent ; radicle_ superior ; cotyledons folia- 

 ceous. 



Diagnosis. — Herbs, shrubs, or trees, with opposite stipulate 

 dotless leaves. Calyx and corolla with a quaternary, or quinary 

 arrangement ; the former convolute in aestivation, the latter, 

 with luiguiculate petals and imbricate. Stamens 8 — 10, hypo- 

 gynous, usually arising from the back of scales. Ovary 4 — 5- 

 celled ; style simple. Fruit 4- or 5-celled. Seeds few, with 

 little or no albumen ; radicle superior ; cotyledons foliaceous. 



Distribution and Nuinhers. — They are generally distributed 

 throughout the warm regions of the globe, but chiefly beyond 

 the tropics. Illustrative Qenera: — Zygophyllum, Linn.; Guaia- 

 cum, Plum. There are about 100 species. Melianthus is by 

 some botanists separated from the Zygophyllaoeffi, and taken as 

 the type of a new order, to which the name MelianthecB has 

 been applied. 



Properties and Uses. — Some of the plants are resinous, and 

 possess stimulant, alterative, and diaphoretic properties ; others 

 are anthelmintic. The wood of the arborescent species is 

 remarkable for its hardness and durability. 



Order 89. GeeaniacEjE, the Crane's-bill Order. — Charac- 

 ter. — Herbs or shrubs, with swollen, usually articulated nodes. 

 Leaves simple, opposite or alternate, with membranous stipules. 

 Flowers regular or irregular. Sepals 5, inferior, persistent, 

 more or less unequal ; cestivation imbricate. Petals 5, or 

 rarely 4 from abortion, unguiculate, hypogynous or perigynous ; 

 cEstivaiion twisted. Stamens usually twice as many as the 

 petals (some are, however, frequently abortive), hypogynous, 

 and generally united at the base, the alternate ones shorter and 

 occasionally barren. Disc inconspicuous or glandular. Carpels 

 5, arranged around an elongated axis or carpophore ; styles 

 corresponding in number to the carpels, and adhering to the 

 carpophore. Fruit consisting of five 1-seeded carpels, which 



