MA.NUAL OF NATURAL HISTORY, 455 



plant is Papaver somniferum, the concrete 

 milky juice from the unripe capsules of 

 which constitutes opium. 



2. Family. — American Pitcher-plants (Sarraceni- 



acese). Herbaceous, perennial ; leaves radical ; 

 petioles folded and coherent, forming hol- 

 low tubes ; scapes one or more flowered y 

 sepals and petals five, or perianth 4-6-leaved ; 

 anthers dithecal; ovary 3-5-celled; ovules 

 anatropal • placentse axile ; style single ; 

 stigma persistent; fruit capsular, 2-5-celled. 

 Occur in North American marshes, and also 

 in Guiana. 



3. Family. — Ceplialotads (Cephalotacese). Herba- 



ceous ; stemless ; leaves radical, exstipulate ; 

 scape with a compound, terminal spike ; 

 flowers small ; perianth coloured, 6-parted ; 

 aestivation valvate ; stamens twelve ; carpels 

 six, distinct, 1 -seeded; ovule erect; fruit con- 

 sisting of membranous achsenia. Contains a 

 solitary Australian genus. 



4. Family. — Croivfoots (Ranunculacese). Herbs, 



rarely shrubs; leaves alternate or opposite, 

 with dilated, sheathing petioles ; inflores- 

 ence variable ; flowers usually conspicuous ; 

 sepals 8-6, deciduous, aestivation mostly im- 

 bricate ; petals 3-1 5, rarely abortive ; stamens 

 very rarely definite ; carpels numerous, 1- 

 celled, distinct, or united into a single many- 

 celled pistil ; ovary one or more seeded ; 

 ovules anatropal ; styles simple ; fruit dry 



