1 
138 
times called Alum root. Barton, 1. 155. In North Wales Geranium Rober- 
tianum has acquired celebrity as a remedy for nephritic complaints. Ibid. 
Some of the Pelargoniums are acidulous, but this genus is chiefly known as an 
object of garden c^ture, for which its great beauty, and the facility with which 
the species or supposed species intermix, render it weU adapted. 
GENERA. 
Sarcocaulon, DC.Eckl. 
Monsonia, Linn. 
Geranium, L. 
Erodium, L’Herit. 
Scolopacium, Eckl. 
Hoarea, Sweet. 
Pelargonium, L’Herit. 
Polyactium, DC .Eck. 
Dimacria, Sweet. 
Ligularia, Sweet. 
Otidia, Sweet. 
Myrrhidium, 
DC. Eckl. 
Peristera, DC. Eckl. 
Phymatanthus, Swt, 
Campy lia, Sweet. 
Dibrachia, Sweet. 
Jenkinsonia, Sweet. 
Chorisma, Sweet. 
Ciconium, Sweet. 
Cortusina, DC. Eckl. 
Isopetalum, Eckl. 
Eumorpha, Eckl. 
Calliopsis, Sweet. 
Halgania, Gaud. 
? Euryanthe, Schlecht. 
Rhynchotheca, R.etP. 
Order CIV. BALSAMINACE^E. The Balsam Tribe. 
Bal6Amine^, Ach. Rich. Diet. Class. 2. 173. (1822) ; DC. Prodr. 1. G85. (1824) ; Lindl. 
Synops. 59. (1829) ; Roper de Florihus et Affinitatibus Balsam inear um. (1830) ; 
Wight and Arnott, Prodr. FI. Ind. Penins. 1. 134. (1834). — HYDRocEREiE, Blume 
Bijdr. 241. (1825) ; Ed. Prior, No. 125. (1830). 
Essential Character. — Sepals 5, or by abortion 3, irregular, deciduous, with an 
imbricated aestivation ; the two exterior opposite, lateral, somewhat unsymmetrical, with a 
valvate aestivation, but giving way for the projection of the spur of the odd sepal ; the odd 
sepal spurred, symmetrical, with an equitant aestivation in the bud, looking tow’ards the axis 
of the axillary racemose or umbellate inflorescence, containing honey ; the two inner sepals 
very small, sometimes scale-shaped, sometimes unsymmetrical, larger, orbicular, always 
coloured, appearing at the side of the flower, which is opposite to the spurred sepal, and at 
the base of the odd petal ; (usually altogether abortive in Balsamina) . Petals either distinct 
or a little adhering, 5, combined into 3, irregular, deciduous, alternate with the sepals ; 
the odd petal regular, placed between the inner scalelike sepals, in front of the bract, 
wrapping up a great part of the remainder of the flower in aestivation ; the four remaining 
petals unsymmetrical, united more or less on each side of the flower in pairs ; their two 
larger lobes next the spur, their two smaller next the odd petal; aestivation convolute. 
Stamens 5, symmetrical, alternate with the petals; those alternate with the odd petal longer 
than the others. Carpels 5, alternate with the stamens consolidated into a 5 -celled ovary. 
{Roper abridged) . Stigma sessile, more or less divided in 5 ; cells 5, t\\" 0 -, or many-seeded. 
Emit capsular, wdth 5 elastic valves, and 5 cells formed by membranous projections of the 
placenta, which occupies the axis of the fruit, and is connected with the apex by 5 slender 
threads ; sometimes succulent and indehiscent. Seeds solitary, or numerous, suspended ; 
albumen none ; embryo straight, with a superior radicle and plano-convex cotyledons . — 
Succulent herbaceous plants. Leaves simple, opposite or alternate, without stipules. Pe- 
duncles axillary. 
Affinities. So nearly related to Geraniacese, that this order is, in the 
opinion of some botanists, a mere section of it. It is, however, distinguishable 
by its gynobase not being lengthened into a beak, by its straight embryo, and 
exstipulate leaves, and also by the absence of that aromatic resinous secretion 
which is so highly developed in some Geraniacese. Tropseoleae and Hydrocerese, 
formerly separated from Balsaminacese, appear to be in reahty mere forms of 
that order ; the first, however, ha\'ing flowers with a regular t}q)e of structure 
may still deserve a place as a sub -order. 
The anomalous structure of the genera Impatiens and Balsamina has given 
rise to some ingenious speculation, of which a full detail will be found in 
Roper’s work above quoted ; the idea of this ingenious botanist is adopted in 
the present edition. Kunth takes a different view of the subject ; the follow- 
ing is the substance of his remarks. 
