KEY TO THE FAMILIES. 



Perianth -segments 5, scarious or colored ; stamens 

 opposite them ; ovary 1 -celled, 1-ovuled ; styles 



1-3; leaves entire; herbs or undershrubs . . . . Amarantaceae 42. 

 Perianth 5-lobed, petaloid, the lower part hardened 

 and persistent ; stamens usually 1-4 ; carpel 1, 



1-ovuled ; style simple ; herbs Nyctaginaceae 43, 



Perianth 4-5-lobed, herbaceous or somewhat 

 scarious ; stamens 4-5, or many ; carpels 1- 

 celled, 1-ovuled, 2 or many, separate or united 

 in a ring, each with a distinct style ; leaves 



entire ; herbs or trees Phytolaccaceae 44. 



E. Flowers bisexual ; perianth of 4-5 herbaceous lobes 

 or segments ; stamens 4-5, rarely 8-10, or many, 

 and then the outer ones changed into petals ; ovary 

 superior or inferior, 2-several-celled, rarely 1 -celled ; 

 styles as many as cells ; leaves often succulent ; 



herbs or undershrubs {Pig face) Aizoaceae 45. 



D. Perianth double ; whorls dissimilar ; flowers bisexual. 



Sepals 2 ; petals 4-5 ; stamens 5-many ; ovary superior 



or half -inferior, 1 -celled, with 2-many ovules on a 



free central placenta ; capsule ; succulent herbs 



(Purslane, Parakeelya) Portulacaceae 46. 



Sepals 4-5 ; petals as many, rarely absent ; stamens 

 usually twice as many ; ovary superior, 1 -celled, with 

 2-5 styles ; ovules usually many on a free central 

 placenta ; herbs with opposite entire leaves (Pink 

 Family) Caryophyllaceae 47. 



A. Flowers almost always with calyx and corolla. 



F. Pistil often apocarpous or sometimes syncarpous, with 

 1 -several cells. 

 Order Randies. Perianth of 1 or 2 whorls ; stamens 



usually numerous ; ovary superior. 

 G. Anthers opening by slits ; stamens hypogynous. 



Flowers simple, unisexual, with 9-12 minute perianth- 

 segments ; stamens 12-16 ; carpel solitary, with 

 1 pendulous ovule ; albumen scanty ; leaves 



whorled ; water-plants Ceratophyllaceae 48. 



Flowers bisexual, usually regular ; sepals and petals 

 usually 5 ; petals absent in Clematis ; stamens 

 numerous ; carpels several ; achenes ; albumen 



copious ; herbs (Buttercup) Ranunculaceae 49. 



G. Anthers opening by valves from the base upwards ; 

 stamens perigynous ; flowers bisexual, regular ; 

 perianth-segments 6, in 2 rows, similar, small ; 

 stamens 12, of which 3 are reduced to staminodia ; 

 carpel solitary, 1-ovuled ; no albumen ; leafless 



twining parasites Lauraceae 50. 



F. Pistil often syncarpous ; ovary usually superior ; 



stamens hypogynous or perigynous. 



H. Order Rhoeadales. Flowers bisexual, usually double ; 



carpels 2-many, united in a superior, usually 1 -celled 



ovary ; styles very short or absent. 



I. Sepals 2 (rarely 3) ; seeds albuminous ; flowers 



regular, or (in Fumaria) irregular ; petals 4 (rarely 



6) ; stamens many, free, or 6 in 2 bundles ; capsule 



with many-seeded parietal placentas, or (in 



Fu m aria) a 1 -seeded nut ; herbs (Poppy, Fumitory) Papaveraceae 51 

 I. Sepals 4-6 ; seeds without albumen. 

 J. Flowers regular ; sepals and petals 4. 



Stamens 8-many ; ovary usually stalked, 1- 

 celled, with several parietal placentas ; 

 capsule or berry ; herbs or shrubs (Caper 



Family) Capp arid ace ae 52. 



Stamens 6 or 4 ; ovary with placentas along 

 the sutures ; pod long or short, usually 

 divided into 2 cells by a membranous partition, 

 sometimes splitting into articles : herbs (Stock, 

 Rocket, Cress) Crtjciferae 53. 



