B, Cor. almost always gamopetalous and actino- 
morphic. Sta. reduced to i whorl {the outer), 
epipetalous or hypo gy nous. Carp, usually 2, 
sometimes imperfectly united. Lea. {in Brit, 
sp.) generally opposite (cf. p. 39). 
Order 4 CONTORTyE. 
Herbs, shrubs or trees. Lea. usually opposite, 
mostly simple and exstipulate (exc.in a few genera). 
Flow, actinomorphic, mostly 5-merous (more rarely 
2 — 6-merous). Pet. generally united, often twisted 
in bud. Sta. usually isomerous and epipetalous, 
sometimes 2. Carp. (2). 
Family 77. OLEACB^. Mostly trees or shrubs. 
Lea. usually opposite, simple or pinnate, exstipu- 
late. Flow. 2— 6-merous, sometimes i-sexual. Pet. 
4 — 6 (rarely o), valvate or imbricate, united or + 
free. Sta. 2 (hypogynous in Fraxinus). Carp. (2), 
with I style ; ovary 2-celled, superior, each cell 
with usually 2 anatropous ovules (pendulous in 
Brit, sp.) ; plac. axile. Fr. a capsule, samara, berry 
or drupe. Seeds + endospermous. 
Fraxinus, Ligustrum, [Forsythia, Syringa, Phil- 
lyrea, Olea, Jasminum.'^ 
Family 78. GBNTIANACE^. Herbs [rarely 
shrubs], mostly bitter. Lea. usually opposite, sim- 
ple (exc. in Menyanthes) , entire, exstipulate. Flow, 
cymose, ^ , actinomorphic, usually 4 — 5-merous. 
Sep. 4 — 8, united or free. Pet. (4—8), mostly (5), 
usually twisted (exc. in Menyanthes and Limnanthe- 
mum). Sta. 4 — 8, epipetalous. Carp. (2), with 
usually 00 ± anatropous ovules; style i or very 
short ; ovary i- (or + incompletely 2-) celled, 
superior; plac. usually parietal. Fr. a 2-valved 
septicidal capsule. Seeds endospermous. 
38 
