Statistics. 



197 



Statistics of the Vegetable Kingdom, continued. 



Umbellif erae, comprising over 150 genera and about 1,300 spe- 

 cies, includes the parsnip, parsley, carrot, celery, caraway, anise, 

 dill and others. In Africa some of the species attain to the size 

 of trees. 



About one-ninth of all flowering plants are comprised in 

 the Compositse or Sunflower family. It is by far the largest 

 order, containing nearly 800 genera and about 10,000 species. 

 Very few of the species furnish esculent parts ; the leading ones 

 are lettuce, endive, chicory, artichoke, cardoon and salsify. But 

 the family comprises great numbers of ornamental plants, of 

 which the leading one at the present time is the chrysanthemum. 

 A very few of the species become small shrubs. 



The Heath family, Ericaceae, includes the heaths, heather of 

 Europe, wintergreen, whortleberries or huckleberries, cranber- 

 ries, azaleas, rhododendrons and laurels. Certain white and 

 flesh-colored parasitic plants also belong to it, as the Indian-pipe 

 and the snow plant of the Rocky Mountains. About 80 genera 

 and over 1,300 species are known. 



The Primulas belong to the Primulaceae or Primrose family, 

 and they number some 80 or more species, many of which are 

 cultivated. The genus primula is commonly divided by florists 

 into auriculas, polyanthuses and primroses. One of the primu- 

 las is the true -cowslip. Primulaceas has about 20 genera and 250 

 species. 



Oleaceae, a family of 18 genera and nearly 300 species, includes 

 the jasmine, forsythias, lilacs, ashes, privet and olive. 12 spe- 

 cies of fraxinus or ash, are native to North America. There 

 are about 120 species of jasminum or jasmine, 2 of forsythia, 6 

 of syringa or lilac, over 30 of fraxinus, about 25 of ligustrum or 

 privet, and 35 of olea, or olive. 



The Convolvulus or Morning-glory family, Convolvulaceae, has 

 some 800 species, some of which are trees, and 32 genera. The 

 dodders, peculiar parasitic plants, of which several are natives 

 of the United States, belong here, as does also the sweet-potato. 



There are about 30 species of Phlox described, nearly all na- 

 tives of North America. The common Phlox Drummondii is a 

 native of Texas. 



Solanaceas is a large and important order, containing many 



