312 



XIJX. TROP^OLE^. 



NasturUum. 



Carpel cub 



vertically (mag.). 



Nasturtium. 



Carpel cut 



transversely (mag.). 



Nasturtium. 

 Yertical section of flower. 



Nasturtium. 

 Peduncle aucl calyx. 



Succulent, prostrate, glabrous or twining herbs with watery juice ; root usually 

 tuberous. Primordial leaves opposite, 2- stipulate; the others alternate, exstipulate, 

 petioled, simple, peltate, entire or lobed, or deeply palmipartite with entire or cut 

 lobes, sometimes pellucid-dotted. Flowers g , irregular, axillary, long-peduncled. 

 Calyx coloured, persistent, 5-fid, 2-lipped, the upper lip 2-fid, the lower 3-fid and pro- 

 longed at the base into a hollow spur, aestivation imbricate or subvalvate. Petals 

 inserted at the bottom of the calyx, equal and alternate with the sepals, or fewer, 

 imbricate in sestivation, the 2 upper inserted on the throat of the spur, and exterior, 

 spreading, and different from the 3 lower, which are usually smaller and sometimes 

 0. Stamens 8, unequal, inserted on the receptacle, surrounding the ovary ; filaments 

 subulate, free ; anthers introrse, basifixed, erect, dehiscence longitudinal. Ovart 

 free, sessile, 3-lobed, 3-celled ; style central, filiform, divided at the top into three 

 branches terminated by a minute stigma ; ovules solitary, pendulous from the top of 

 the inner angle of each cell, anatropous. Peuit of 3 indehiscent dry or spongy- 



