DICOTYLEDONES— CALYCIPLOE^ 341 



Distribution and Numbers. — They are found in very dry 

 situations in all parts of the world ; a large number occur at the 

 Cape of Good Hope. There are about 450 species. 



Properties and Uses. — Astringent, refrigerant, and acrid pro- 

 perties are found in the plants of this order, but none are of 

 much importance. 



OcfZer 131. Drosehace^, the Sundew Order. — Character. 

 Herbaceous plants growing in boggy or marshy places, fre- 

 quently glandular. Leaves alternate, fringed at their margins 

 and with a circinate vernation. Inflorescence helicoid. Sepals 

 and petals 5, hypogynous, equal, imbricate, persistent. Stamens 

 as many as the petals and alternate with them, or twice, thrice, 

 or four times as many, distinct, withering, hypogynous ; anthers 

 innate or versatile, extrorse. Ovary superior, 1-celled, with 

 parietal placentation ; styles 3 — 5, distinct or connected at the 

 base; ovules numerous, anatropous. Fruit capsular, l-celled, 

 bursting by 3 or 5 valves, which bear the placentas in their 

 middle or at their base ; hence the dehiscence is loculicidal. 

 Seeds numerous, with or without an aril ; embryo minute at the 

 base of abundant fleshy albumen. 



Diagnosis. — Bog or marsh herbs, with alternate exstipu- 

 late leaves and a circinate vernation. Inflorescence helicoid. 

 Flowers regular and symmetrical, hypogynous, with a quinary 

 arrangement of their parts, which are also persistent and im- 

 bricate. Anthers extrorse. Placentas parietal. Fruit capsular, 

 1-celled, with loculicidal dehiscence. Seeds numerous ; embryo 

 small, at the base of copious fleshy albumen. 



Distribution and Ntimbers.— These plants are found in 

 almost all parts of the world with the exception of the Arctic 

 regions. Illustrative Genera : — Drosera, Linn. ; DiouEea, Ellis. 

 There are about 110 species in this order. 



Properties and Uses. — They possess slightly acid and acrid 

 properties. The plants of the order are chiefly interesting from 

 the peculiar irritability of the glands on their leaves. Thus, the 

 leaves of the Droseras are fringed with stalked glands, which 

 curve over and imprison any insects that alight upon the leaf- 

 blade; whUe the plant known as Venus's Flytrap (Dioncsa 

 muscipula), a native of North America, has two-lobed leaves, 

 each lobe furnished on its upper surface with three stiff hairs ; 

 these, when touched, cause the two lobes of the leaf to shut 

 together face to face and enclose the object touching them. 

 The glands in these plants secrete a viscid acid digestive fluid, 



