PA PA VERA CEA E. 437 



before the leaves, the involucre of 4 deciduous scales. Calyx -segments 6, equal, 

 deciduous. Staminate flowers with 3 series or 3 stamens, the filaments of the 

 inner series lobed and gland-bearing at the base, those of the two outer series 

 glandless; anthers introrse, 2 valved. Pistillate flowers with 12-15 staminodia 

 and a globose ovary. Fruit a red drupe. [Named from Benzoin gum, from its 

 similar fragrance.] About 7 species, of eastern N. Am. and Asia. Only the 

 following are North American. 



Shrub glabrous or nearly so throughout ; leaves narrowed at the base. 



1. B. Benzoin. 

 Twigs and lower surfaces of the leaves pubescent ; leaves rounded or subcordate at the 

 base. 2. B. melissaefolium, 



1. Benzoin Benzoin (L.) Coulter. Spice-bush. Benjamin-bush. (I. F. f. 

 1656.) A shrub, 1-7 m. high, with smooth bark. Leaves obovate, oval or elliptic, 

 5-13 cm. long, 2-6 cm. wide, or those of shoots much larger, acute, short-acuminate 

 or some of them rounded at the apex, narrowed at the base; petioles 6-12 mm. 

 long; flowers about 3 mm. broad, fragrant; pedicels about equalling the calyx- 

 segments; ovary about as long as the style; drupe 8-10 mm. long, about 6 mm. in 

 diameter. In moist woods, thickets and along streams, Me. to Ont., Mich., N. Car., 

 Tenn. and Kans. March-May. Fruit ripe Aug. -Sept. 



2. Benzoin melissaefolium (Walt.) Nees. Hairy Spice-bush. (I. F. f. 

 1657.) Similar to the preceding, but the young twigs, buds and lower surfaces 

 of the leaves densely pubescent. Leaves ovate-lanceolate or oblong, acute or 

 acuminate at the apex, rounded or subcordate at the base, 5-10 cm. long, 1.5-3.6 

 cm. wide; petioles 2-6 mm. long; pedicels equalling or slightly longer than the 

 calyx- segments; drupe 6-10 mm. high. In swamps and wet soil, 111. and Mo. 

 to N. Car., Ala. and Fla. Feb. -March. 



Order 15. PAPAVERALES. 



Mostly herbs, with clustered, regular and perfect flowers. Petals, with 

 very rare exceptions, present, separate. Sepals usually separate. Stamens 

 hypogynous. Ovary superior, free from the calyx, compound, composed 

 of two united carpels, or more. 



Sepals 2 (very rarely 3 or 4) ; endosperm fleshy. Fam. r. Papaveraceae. 



Sepals or calyx-segments 4-8 ; endosperm none. 



Capsule 2-celled by a longitudinal partition, usually 2-valved, rarely indehiscent ; 



sepals and petals 4. Fam. 2. Cruciferae. 



Capsule 1 -celled, of 2-6 carpels. 



Sepals and petals 4, regular, or petals irregular ; capsule of 2 carpels, 2-valved. 



Fam. 3. Capparidaceae. 

 Sepals and petals 4-8, irregular ; capsule of 3-6 carpels, 3-6 valved at the top ; 

 disk large. Fam. 4. Resedaceae. 



Family 1. PAPAVERACEAE B. Juss. 

 Poppy Family. 



Herbs, with milky or colored sap, and alternate leaves or the upper 

 rarely opposite. Stipules none. Flowers perfect, regular or irregular. 

 Sepals 2 (rarely 3 or 4), caducous. Petals 4-6 or rarely more, imbricated, 

 often wrinkled, deciduous. Stamens hypogynous, distinct; filaments 

 filiform; anthers longitudinally dehiscent. Ovary 1, many-ovuled, 

 mainly T-celled ; style short; ovules anatropous. Fruit a capsule, gen- 

 erallv dehiscent by a pore, or by valves, rarely indehiscent. About 26 

 genera and 200 species, widely distributed, most abundant in the north 

 temperate zone. 



