Page:An introduction to physiological and systematical botany (1st edition).djvu/471

 Rh .—Flowers almost universally papilionaceous.

1. Pentandria. The only genus in this Order is Monnieria, Lamarck, t. 596, a rare little South American plant, whose natural order is uncertain. It has a ringent corolla, ternate leaves, a simple bristly pubescence, and is besprinkled with resinous dots.

2. Hexandria. Saraca, in this Order, is as little known as the Monnieria, except that it undoubtedly belongs to the leguminous family. It seems most allied to Brownea, Jonesia, Afzelia, &c. Fumaria, the only genus besides, is remarkable for the great variety of forms in its seed-vessel, whence botanists who make genera from technical characters, without regard to natural principles, have injudiciously subdivided it. See ''Engl. Bot. t.'' 588—590, 943, 1471.

3. Octandria. Polygala, t. 76, is the principal genus here. America and the Cape of Good Hope abound in beautiful species of it, and New Holland affords some new genera, long confounded with this.