432 THE VEGETABLE WORLD. 
in the Pelargonium, on the contrary, only three of the stamens of 
this verticle are sterile. The Pelargoniums are indigenous to the 
Cape of Good Hope. They enclose a volatile oil which gives 
them a strong odour, sometimes anything but agreeable, which 
is only redeemed by their beauty of form and colour. A great 
number of species are cultivated, to which horticulture has added 
innumerable varieties. Amongst others, we may mention Pelar- 
gonium zonale, the leaves of which are marked with a brownish 
band, and the petals of which are red or reddish-rose coloured, 
or whitish; Pelargonium inquinans, the shiny cottonous leaves 
of which stain the fingers with a brown rust, and the petals 
of which are scarlet or flesh-coloured; and Pelargonium odo- 
ratissimum. 
SILENALS. 
“ At this point,” says Dr. Lindley, “a considerable advance in 
structure is evident among exogens. Among these plants a — 
corolla appears, with all its fragrance and gaudy colours, and the 
ovary is constituted, not by the rolling up of a solitary carpillary 
leaf, but by the complete consolidation of several.” Accordingly we 
find among the Siren many popular plants of great interest. 
The qualities of Dianthus caryophyllus (Clove Gilliflower), so called 
from its spice-like odour, are sung by Chaucer :— 
“Ther springen herbes, grete and small, 
The licoris and the stetewall, 
And many a clove giliflore, 
+ to putinale, . 
Whether it be moist or stale.” 
whence another of its popular names, “Sops in Wine.” 
They differ from the Geranials in their free placenta. 
‘baceous 
us plants, stems ewoling at the —— leaves opposite “Hy OLXXXVIII. Caryophy- 
amphitr ovules ; stamens doubl e the tals tn number; 
sepals and ics to them. of 
H alf shrubby branching plants, with ite or alternate 
entire leaves, and scarious stipules ; min om flowers with soarious A i OLXXXIX. ay 
babar Pures, calyx and corolla, the latter rudimentary ; amphi 
herbs, with entire alternat hout sti ersei 
often pang ns fine of hairs sighs i eg Pemteanpine asd ae bias von s' ~ . oxo. ‘Pportulacee. 
alyx and corolla ; hitropal ovules 
Herbaceous rans r shrubs, with ‘aberiate leaves, stipules adherin, 
round the stem ; flowers in racemes, occasionally unise unisex fags bones fre, cxcl. Polyont- 
coloured ; imbricat te, in zstivation, orthotropal ovule ; 
nut. 
