CRASSULACE.E. 291 



but rare in the north and in Wales, and does not extend into Scotland 

 or Ireland. Fl. summer. It must not be confounded with the so- 

 called black Bryony \ which is the common Tamus, a very different plant, 

 with entire, shining leaves. 



(The Purslane family, inserted here in the first edition, is now placed 

 above, p. 135, next to the Pink family ; and the Paronychia family 

 will be found below, next to the Goosefoot family.) 



XXIX. THE CBASSXJLA FAMILY. CRASSULACE.E. 



Herbs or shrubs, with succulent leaves, all or only the upper 

 ones usually alternate, rarely all opposite, no stipules, and flowers 

 iu terminal racemes or cymes. Sepals 3 or more, usually 5, some- 

 times 15 to 20, cohering at the base. Petals as many, sometimes 

 united in a single corolla. Stamens as many, or twice as many, 

 inserted with the petals at the base of the calyx. Ovary superior ; 

 the carpels as many as the petals, and free, usually with a small, 

 flat scale at their base, and forming as many distinct capsules, 

 each containing several seeds attached to the inner angle. Embryo 

 straight, with a thin, fleshy albumen. 



A numerous family, extending over the greater part of the globe, but 

 particularly abounding in south-western Africa and in the rocky dis- 

 tricts of Europe and central Asia. The exact concordance in number 

 of the parts of the flower of the different whorls forms the most pro- 

 minent character of the family, to which the succulent leaves give a 

 peculiar habit. 



Stamens 3 or 4. Plants very small, with minute flowers . . 1. Till m A. 

 Stamens twice as many as the petals (half of them sometimes 

 without anthers) . 

 Petals united in a tubular corolla, longer than the calyx . 2. Cotyledon. 

 Petals free or nearly so, and spreading. 



Flowers mostly with 5 or 6 petals and sepals .... 3. Sedum. 

 All the flowers with more than 6, usually 10 or 12 petals 



and sepals 4. Houseleek. 



Among the succulent plants in our greenhouses, the Crassulas, 

 Echeverias, Eocheas, and a few others, belong to this family, but by 



