462 LAURACEAE. [Cassytha, 
succulent perianth-tube, obscurely 6-ribbed or quite smooth.—Hook. f. FI. 
Nov. Zel. i (1853) 218; Handb. N.Z. Fl. (1864) 239; Benth. Fl. Austral. v 
(1870) 311. 
Norru Istanp: Extreme northern peninsula, from the North Cape to Ahipara 
and Mangonui, abundant. December—March. 
Family XLIV. CRUCIFERAE. 
Herbs, very rarely undershrubs, with pungent watery juice. Leaves 
alternate, entire, lobed or pinnately divided, the lower ones often forming 
a rosette at the base of the stem; stipules wanting. Flowers perfect, 
in terminal racemes, which are often short and corymb-like when the 
flowering commences, but lengthen out as it advances, usually without 
bracts. Sepals 4, free, deciduous. Petals 4, free, hypogynous, placed 
crosswise. Stamens 6, 2 of them shorter than the other 4; sometimes 
reduced to 4 or even 2 (Lepidium). Ovary usually 2-celled ; style short 
or wanting; stigma entire or 2-lobed. Ovules few or numerous. Fruit 
a pod, long or short, usually divided into 2 cells by a thin partition called 
the replum, from which the 2 valves fall away at maturity; more rarely 
the pod is indehiscent or transversely joimted. Seeds without albumen, 
entirely filled by the large embryo, which is variously bent or folded, the 
radicle either lying along the edges of the cotyledons (accumbent) or placed 
along the back of one of them (incumbent). 
The Crucifers form a large and extremely natural family, comprising about 220 
genera and between 1700 and 2000 species. The species are distributed over the 
whole world, but are most plentiful in the temperate regions of the Northern Hemi- 
sphere, and especially so in southern Kurope and Asia Minor. They are rare in the 
tropics, particularly where there are no mountain-ranges. Most of them possess 
antiscorbutic and stimulating properties, and many are staple articles of food. Not 
a few of the cultivated species (and others) have become naturalized in New Zealand, 
as will be seen from the list of introduced plants appended to this work. Of the New 
Zealand genera, Pachycladon and Notothlaspi are endemic; the remainder are widely 
spread outside the Dominion, 
* Pods long and narrow. 
Pods terete, linear-oblong, tumid. Seeds in two rows in each cell. 
Cotyledons accumbent .. .. 1, Nasturtium. 
Pods flat, linear, acute; valves opening Tostonity ham the base. 
Seeds in one row. Cotyledons accumbent .. ef .. 2, CARDAMINE. 
Pods terete or obtusely 4-6-angled, 1-3-nerved. Seeds in one row. 
Cotyledons incumbent ie ui [a .. 93. SISYMBRIUM. 
** Pods short and broad. 
Alpine herb with stellate pubescence. Pods compressed, boat- 
shaped, not winged. Seeds 3-5 in each cell.. x 4, PACHYCLADON, 
Pods compressed, oblong to obcordate, valves Eee keeled. Seeds 
numerous oF. : cA : 5. CAPSELLA. 
Pods much compressed, ov a to orbicular, aien winged: Seeds 
lineach cell ,. a! ‘4 ¢) 2 eee 
Alpine herbs with sweet-scented flowers. Pods large, much com- 
pressed, obovate, very broadly winged. Seeds numerous »» 7. NOTOTHLASPI. 
. LEPIDIUM. 
