L. LIMNANTHEiE. 313 



fleshy carpels, rugose, separating from a short persistent column. Seed inverted; 

 testa cartilaginous, often confluent with the endocarp. Embryo exalbuminous, 

 straight; cotyledons thick, hemispheric when young, afterwards often cohering, 

 auricled at the base, auricles appressed but distinct, concealing the short radicle, 

 which is near the hilum and superior. 



GENUS. 

 *Trop8eolum. 



Tropceolets, placed beside Pelargonium by Bentbam and Hooker fil.,' approacb lAmnanthece (whicb 

 these authors have also annexed to Oeraniacece) in their persistent calyx, their imbricate perigynous or 

 sub-perigynous anisostemonous or diplostemonous petals, their whorled carpels adherent around a central 

 column into an ovary with 1-ovuled cells separating from the column, their exalbuminous seeds, herba- 

 ceous stem, alternate leaves, and axillary l-flowered peduncles ; Limnanihets being hardly separated, except 

 by the regularity of their flowers, the staminiferous ring lining the base of the calyx, their deeply 3- or 

 6-lobed ovary and ascending ovule. For the afiinity with Salsaminece, see this family. Some analogies 

 have been noticed between TropcBoleee and Lmeee, but the latter differ in their hypogynous regular petals, 

 the 2-ovuled cells of their ovary, the free styles, and terminal inflorescence. Tropaoleee may with more 

 reason be compared with Capparideee (see this family). 



TropesolecB are all natives of South America, and chiefly of the western slopes of the Andes. They 

 contain an acrid antiscorbutic piinciple, analogous to that of Crass. The large and small Nasturtium 

 (T. mcy'us and minus) are cultivated in Europe; their buds and young fruits are employed as a condi- 

 ment instead of capers. The farinaceous tubers of T. tuberosmn, made into jelly with treacle, furnish 

 a sort of food to the Peruvians. 



L. LIMNANTHEJS. 



(LlMNANTHE^, Br. LlMNANTHACE^, Lindl.) / 



Sepals 3-5, valvate, or slightly imbricate. Petals equal and alternate with the 

 sepals, contorted in aestivation, inserted on a glandular ring lining the bottom of the 

 calyx. Stamens double the number of the petals, sub-perigynous. Ovakt deeply 5- 

 lobed, style gynobasic, cells 1-ovuled. Ovule erect, anatropous. Ripe carpels /ree, 

 indehiscent. Embrto exalbuminous. — Stem herbaceous. Leaves alternate. 



Annual succulent glabrous diffuse marsh plants. Leaves alternate, long- 

 petioled, pinnatifid or bipinnatifid, with narrow . lanceolate or oval divisions ; 

 stipules 0. Flowers regular, ^ ; peduncles axillary, long, l-flowered, solitary, 

 ebracteate and thickened at the top. Sepals 5, valvate in aestivation {Limnanthes), 

 or 3, slightly imbricate {FlcerJcea). Petals 5 or 3, sub-perigynous, contorted in 

 aestivation, marcescent. Stamens 10 {Limnanthes), or 6 {FlcerJcea), sub-perigynous ; 

 filaments piano-subulate or subulate-filiform, marcescent, some opposite to the 

 petals, others opposite to the sepals and furnished with a gland at the base ; anthers 

 introrse, subglobular-didymous, dehiscence longitudinal. Carpels 5 {Limnanthes), 

 or 3 {Floerkea), opposite to the sepals, nearly free, connate at the base into a deeply 

 5-3-lobed ovary, 5-3-celled ; style gynobasic, with 6-3 short stigmatiferous bra;nches ; 

 ovules solitary in each cell, ascending, anatropous, micropyle inferior, raphe dorsal. 



' See Qeraniacea, p. 308. 



