XLIX. TEOP^OLE^. 311 



enveloping them ; posterior petals smaller, enveloping the 2 lateral. Stamens 5, 

 inserted on the receptacle, as long as the ovary, and covering it like an operculum ; 

 filaments short, flattened, cohering at the top ; anthers introrse, 2-celled, connivent or 

 coherent. Ovakt free, sessile, cylindric-oblong, or obtusely angled, 5-celled ; stigma 

 sessile, entire or 5-partite; ovules numerous in each cell {Impatiens), or 2-3 {Eydro- 

 cera), 1-seriate, pendulous, anatropous. Fbuit a loculicidal 5-valved capsule, 

 elastically coiling inwards from the top downwards, or outwards from the bottom 

 upwards ; sometimes an indehiscent 5-celled drupe with a bony 6-lobed endocarp. 

 Seeds pendulous, slightly compressed; testa membranous, dotted or tubercular, 

 glabrous or velvety. Embryo exalbuminous, straight; cotyledons plano-convex, 

 fleshy ; radicle very short, superior. 



GENERA. 

 *Impatiens. Hydrocera. 



Balsnminea are closely allied to Geraniacece (see that family '). They are equally near Oxalidece in 

 hypopetalism, 5-celled ovary with pendulous anatropous ovules, usually loculicidal fruit, and axillary 

 flowers ; but Oxalidea differ in their regular diplostemonous flower, free styles, the valves of the capsule 

 remaining attached to the placentiferous colunin,^ the usually arillate albuminous seed, and the compound 

 leaves. Linea have some analogies with Bahaminece, founded on the 6-phyllous calyx, the polypetalous 

 hypogynous isostemonous corolla with pendulous anatropous ovules, the capsular fruit, and the seed with 

 little or no albumen ; but they are separated by their regular flower, contorted corolla, long styles, ter- 

 minal inflorescence, and entire leaves. The afiinity with TropcBolece is more obvious : irregular coloured 

 calyx with one sepal prolonged into a spur, several-celled ovary, pendulous anatropous- ovules, capsular 

 fruit, exalbuminous straight embryo, axillary flowers, and herbaceous stem; but in Tropmolete the calyx 

 is persistent, and it is the posterior sepal which is prolonged into a spur, the corolla is anisostemonous, 

 the ovary has three 1-ovuled cells, and the fruit divides into three indehiscent lobes. 



Bahaminece mostly grow in the mountainous regions of India and Africa ; a few inhabit South Africa, 

 North America, Europe, and Central Asia. The European is the Impatiens NoU-me-tangere, or Touch- 

 me-not, so called from the elasticity of its capsules, which open from below upwards, and scatter their seeds 

 at the slightest touch : it was formerly classed among diuretic medicines. I. Salsainina is an East Indian 

 annual, everywhere cultivated on account of the abundance and variety of the colours of its flowers, which 

 have been so doubled by florists as to have become almost regular. I, parviflora is almost naturalized 

 in shady places near Paris. Hydrocei-a belongs to the marshes of tropical Asia. 



XLIX. TROPJEOLEJS. 

 (TEOPiEOLE^, Jussieu. — Balsaminaoeartjm subordo, Lindl.) 



Flowers irregular. Sefals unequal, the posterior spurred. Petals perigynous, 

 unequal, equal ,cmd alternate with the sepals, orfew&r. Stamens 8, hypogynous. Ovary 

 free, of three 1-ovuled cells. Seeds exalbuminous. Embryo straight, with thick cotyle- 

 dons. — Stem herbaceous. Leaves alternate, 



' A glance at the seven tribes of GeraniacetS pmyosei Tropdoleie aJe so intermised that it appears imposBible 



in the ' Grenera Plantarum,' and here introduced under to keep these groups distinct' as orders. — Ed. 



that order (p. 308), will show how the characters used ' 'Not in Biophytmm. — En. 

 to separate Gercmiacew, Oaalideig, Balsaminece, and 



