THE WILLOW-HERB FAMILY 
[ORDER XXXII. ONAGRARIE.®] 
CALIX of 4, rarely 2, SEPALS, united into 
a tube and separating into the same number 
of teeth, the tube united to and lengthening 
with the seedcase (ovary). 
COROLLA of as many PETALS as sepals, 
occasionally more, inserted in the throat of 
the calyx-tube (perigynous), rarely absent. 
STAMENS 2-8, as many or twice as many 
as the petals, rarely only half as many, 
inserted with the petals (perigynous). 
PISTIL of 2-4 CARPELS, in the British 
species, united into a seedcase (ovary), a 
thread-like style, and a 2-4-lobed stigma. 
FRUIT, in the British species, a capsule, 
2-4-celled, having as many cells as there 
are carpels, with 1 or many seeds in each 
cell, generally opening from the top by as 
many valves as there are cells. 
FLOWERS conspicuous; usually pink or 
yellow, solitary in the axils of the leaves, 
forming terminal spikes. 
LEAVES usually opposite and undivided 
(simple), toothed (serrate), and without 
stipules. 
DISTINGUISHED BY, in the British 
species, the united carpels, the capsule 
being situated underneath the rest of the 
flower, the sepals and petals being 4 or 2 
in number, and the stamens the same or 
double the number. 
T HE marked characteristic of this family is that the parts of the flower are in twos and fours ; 
4 or 2 sepals, petals, stamens, and carpels, the stamens being sometimes double the number 
of the other parts. In the British species another characteristic is the capsular fruit, which 
is united with the calyx-tube and situated beneath the rest of the flower (an inferior fruit). 
The members of this family are principally herbs, in rare instances trees or shrubs, and are 
noted for their beauty, not for their use. They are distributed over the whole world, preferring tem- 
perate regions, and are most profusely found in North and South America. The beautiful varieties 
of Evening Primrose (CEnothera) and Clarkia come to us principally from North America, and 
the exquisite Fuchsias, whose fruits are fleshy, insipid berries, are natives of South America and 
New Zealand. 
WILLOW-HERB. (EPILOBIUM, LINN.) — Flowers purple, rose- or flesh-colour, or white, 
solitary in the axils of the leaves, forming a small, loose, terminal cluster or a spike-like cluster. 
Sepals 4, united into a tube and separating into 4 teeth, the tube joined to the seedcase (ovary) ; 
petals 4, usually notched ; stamens 8 ; carpels 4, united into a long 4-celled seedcase, with a 
thread-like style, and 4 stigmas spreading star-like or united into a club. Fruit a capsule, 4-celled, 
very long and slender, many-seeded, opening from the top by 4 curved-back valves. Herbs with 
opposite or irregularly alternate leaves. 
