GERANIALES 
39 1 
cate; C (5), bell- or funnel-shaped, or sometimes salver-shaped, 
convolute (exc. Bartonia, Obolaria, &c., and sub-order 11). Sta. as 
many as petals, alternate with them, epipetalous; anthers various, 
usually introrse. Gynoeceum with a glandular disc at the base, of 
(2) cpls., syncarpous, superior, placed in the antero-posterior plane. 
Placentae usually parietal, but they commonly project far into the 
cavity and spread out at their ends; occasionally the ovary is 2-loc. 
with axile placentation. Ovules usually 00, anatropous. Style 
simple; stigma simple or 2-lobed. Fruit usually a septicidal capsule 
with 00 seeds, rarely a berry (Chironia, &c.). Seeds small. Embryo 
small, in abundant endosperm. 
The flowers of G. are insect-fertilised. The genus Gentiana has 
been very fully studied; see also Menyanthes (dimorphic). 
Classification and chief genera : The grouping of the order by Gilg 
in Nat. Pfi. is largely based on the characters of the pollen, and is 
thus of little use for the purposes of this book ; Engler classifies the 
G. thus. 
I. Gentianoideae (leaves opp.: corolla convol. or imbric.): 
1. ILxaceae (ov. 2-loc,) : Exacum. 
2. Chironieae (ov. i-loc. with projecting plac.): Erythraea, 
Chlora. 
3. Swertieae (do. plac. not projecting): Gentiana, Swertia. 
II. Menyanthoideae { leaves alt.; corolla induplicate-valvate) : 
Menyanthes, Limnanthemum. 
[Placed in Gentianalesby Benth. -Hooker, in Contortaeby Warming.] 
Gentianales (Benth. -Hooker). The 7th cohort of Gamopetalae (p. 135). 
Geonoma Willd. Palmae (iv. 6). 80 sp. trop. Am. 
Geraniaceae. Dicotyledons (Archichl. Geraniales). n gen. with 430 
sp., cosmop. Mostly herbs, often hairy; Sarcocaulon has a fleshy 
habit. Fir. usually regular, 2 > 5-merous. K 5, imbricate with 
valvate tips, persistent; C 5, imbricate or convolute ; Sta. as many or 
2 or 3 times as many as petals, united at base, obdiplostemonous 
when more than one whorl. Cpls. (5) or (2 — 3) or (3 — 5), with 1 — 2 or 
2 — oo ovules in each on axile placentae. Ovules usually pendulous, 
with ventral raphe and micropyle facing upwards; style long with 
5 stigmas. The firs, are usually protandrous. Fruit usually aschizo- 
carp, the cpls. splitting off from a central beak (the persistent style). 
Each takes with it a strip of the tissue of the style, forming an awn , 
which is usually hygroscopic (see Geranium, Erodium). Embryo 
straight or folded, in endosperm. Chief genera : Geranium, Erodium, 
Pelargonium, Sarcocaulon. Benth. -Hooker unite to G. the Oxali- 
daceae, Limnanthaceae, Tropaeolaceae and Balsaminaceae, but there 
is good reason for separating these from G. , especially the last named. 
They place G. in Geraniales; Warming places the order, defined as 
by Engler, in Gruinales. 
Geraniales. The 15th cohort (Engler) of Dicotyledons (Archichl.). 
