MANUAL OF NATURAL HISTORY. 431 



toothed, deciduous ; petals five ; stamens 

 twenty, arising from the throat of the calyx ; 

 ovary 1 -celled; styles terminal, with a fur- 

 row on one side, ending in a reniform stigma ; 

 fruit drupaceous. Natives of cold and tem- 

 perate parts of the Northern Hemisphere. 

 Among the species are the Almond, Peach, 

 Nectarine, Plum, Cherry, Laurel; the leaves 

 and kernels yield Hydrocyanic Acid in 

 abundance. (Drupacece, Lindley.) 

 Family. — Peas (Fabacese). Herbs, shrubs, or 

 trees ; leaves alternate, usually compound ; 

 stipules two at base of petiole, and two at 

 base of leaflet ; flowers polypetalous or apeta- 

 lous, frequently papilionaceous ; calyx 5- 

 partite, toothed or cleft; petals five or by 

 abortion 4, 3, 2, 1, or none ; stamens definite 

 or indefinite ; pistil simple, 1 -celled, 1- or 

 many-seeded ; style simple, proceeding from 

 the upper or ventral suture ; stigma simple ; 

 fruit leguminous or drupaceous ; cotyledons 

 epigeal or hypogeal in germination. A very 

 widely distributed, and most extensive fami- 

 ly, comprising upwards of 6,500 species. It 

 has been divided as follows : — 



1. Po/pilionacece. Flowers papilionaceous; 



petals imbricated in aestivation, upper one 

 exterior. 



2. Coesalpiniece. Flowers irregular, not papi- 



lionaceous ; petals spreading, imbricate in 

 aestivation, upper one interior. 



