28 
PLANTS INDIGENOTJS TO 
[Papamacea. 
II.— MKEADES. 
Endlicher, Gen. Plant, p. 854. 
Division of flower nearly always quaternary. Stamens free, rarely united. 
Ovary compound, solitary. Placentae sutural or parietal. 
Of the four natural orders referable to this series, Pumariaceae are not yet found 
to be represented in Australia by any indigenous species, although a few Eumarite 
have accidentally been introduced from Europe and South Africa. 
Oudeu PAPAVERACEiE. 
Yentenl Tail, iii, 89. 
Sepals two , rarely 3-4, distinct, hypogynous, deciduous, imbricate or valvate in 
aestivation. Petals 4, cruciate, rarely 6, 8,12, or none, free, hypogynous, in aestivation 
mostly plicate. Stamens free, 4 or more, in a quarternary definite number or indefinite, 
often crowded at the base of the petals. Anthers 2-celled, bursting lengthwise. 
Ovary free, one- rarely two- or many-celled, composed of two several or numerous 
consolidated very rarely almost free carpels. Styles short or none. Stigmas of equal 
number with the carpels. Valves of capsule two, several or many. Seeds numerous, 
rarely few or one, and very seldom provided with a cupular pulpy arillus or a mem¬ 
branous strophiole. Albumen large , amygdaloid. Embryo straight, turgid, very 
minute, located at the base of the albumen. Cotyledons 2, rarely 1, 3 or 4, sometimes 
divided. 
Herbs, or rarely suffruticose or shrubby plants, with narcotic milky or colored, 
in some cases limpid, juice. Leaves alternate, very seldom opposite or ternate, 
simple, variously cleft or toothed, very seldom entire, often dilated at the base, always 
without stipules, Elowers hermaphrodite, symmetrical, pedunculate, generally at 
first cernuous. Petals very fugacious, varied in color, but never blue. Capsules 
narrow and elongated or more ellipsoid ovate or globose. Seeds often kidney-shaped. 
— Cand. Syst. Veg. ii. 67; Bernhardi, in Linn tea, xii. 659; Midi. Gener. 854; Lindl. 
Veg. ICingd. iii. 430. 
The distribution of papaveraceous plants is chiefly over Europe, the Orient and 
temperate North America; in other parts of the globe few species exist; in extra- 
tropical Australia as yet but a single species is found; in tropical Australia, New 
Zealand and Tasmania, none have been noticed. 
The plants of this order form a clear transit to Cruciferae and Pumariaceae in one 
direction, whilst in another they approach to the Ranunculaceous order. 
