CRUCIFERAE 
333 
Madag. The seeds of many sp. are covered with scales which spread 
out and become sticky when wetted, thus anchoring them to suitable 
places for germination (cf. Linum). 
Crotalaria Dill, ex Linn. Leguminosae (ill. 3). 250 sp. trop. and 
sub-trop. C. juncea L. (India, Austr.), an annual plant growing about 
8 ft. high, is largely cultivated for the fibre obtained from its stems 
by maceration in water (cf. Linum), and known as Sunn-hemp, 
Bombay or Madras hemp, &c. C. retusa L. (trop.) is also employed 
and probably other sp. would be found useful. 
Croton Linn. Euphorbiaceae (A. 11. 1). 600 sp. trop. Firs, mon- or 
di-oecious, comparatively little reduced in structure from the primary 
type of the order. C. Tiglium L. (trop. As.) is the source of croton 
oil (a very powerful purgative drug, expressed from the seeds). C. Cas- 
carilla Benn. yields Cascarilla bark, used as a tonic (see Cascarilla). 
C. lacciferus L. (India, Ceylon), yields a lac-resin, used in varnish- 
making. 
Crucianella Linn. Rubiaceae (11. 21). 4 sp. Eur., Medit. For 
C. stylosa of gardens see Phuopsis. 
Cruciferae. Dicotyledons (Archichl. Rhoeadales). About 200 gen. 
with 1200 sp., cosmop., but chiefly N. temp, and esp. Medit. They 
form a very natural family, well marked off from all others, though 
approaching nearly to Papaveraceae and Capparidaceae. Most are 
herbs, a few undershrubs; some annuals, many perennials, forming 
each year a new shoot terminating in the infl. Leaves usually alt., 
exstip., with unicellular simple or branched hairs. For other pecu- 
liarities of the vegetative organs see genera, e.g. Brassica, Anastatica, 
Subularia, Vella, &c. The infl. is usually a raceme or corymb, and 
nearly always without either bracts or bracteoles. 
Fir. usually £ , regular, hypogynous, with typical formula K 2 + 2, 
C 4, A 6, G (2). The calyx has two whorls, 
the corolla only one, alternating with* the 
calyx as a whole. The petals usually spread 
out in the form of a cross and are often 
clawed. The sta. are in two whorls, an outer 
of 2 short, an inner of 4 long, sta. (tetra- 
dynamous) ; anthers introrse. The two cpls. 
are placed transversely, and have parietal 
placentae, but the ovary is 2-loc. on account 
of the presence of an antero-posterior parti- 
tion, the replum or so-called spurious septum, 
an outgrowth of the placentae. Stigmas 2, 
on short style, above the placentae (cf. Papa- 
veraceae). Ovules anatropous or campylotropous. 
The explanation of the morphology of this flr. has given rise to 
much dispute and no agreement has been arrived at. It is often 
regarded as a typically 2-merous flr. (cf. Papaveraceae), and the 4 
O 
Floral Diagram 
(after Eichler). 
