Page:Illustrations of Indian Botany, Vol. 1.djvu/90

34 or wanting. Fruit pod-shaped, or baccate, 1-celled, with numerous, rarely few, seeds : seeds generally reniform, exalbuminous, with a thickened testa, foliacious cotyledons, and a curved embryo.

The herbaceous forms of Capparidece, are allied to Cruciferae by habit, by their quaternary sepals and petals, and some of them by their hexandrous stamens, which however are never truly tetradynamous; more generally the stamens are indefinite, and the seeds reniform, which form the principal marks of distinction between Cruciferae and the herbaceous section of Capparideae. The fruticose section is less likely to be confounded, the difference of habit forming of itself a good distinction. The stipitate ovary, so common in this order, is also met with in Passifloreae, combined with indehiscent fruit and parietal polyspermous placentae, but readily distinguished by other marks. The structure of the fruit and indefinite stamens associate them with Flacourtianeae, from which, however, they are distinguished by their exalbuminous seed and different habit. With Resedaceae they agree in having parietal placentas, and reniform exalbuminous seed, but are separated by the different arrangement of their flowers.

Polypetalous, polyandrous, dicotyledons, with versatile anthers, the ovary wholly superior, and the carpels combined into a solid fruit, with more placentaes than one. Leaves alternate, ex-stipulate, or with spines in their place. Cadaba has 4; Cleome and Gynandropsis 6 stamens.

This large order is nearly confined to the tropics, abounding in Asia, Africa, and America. They are more sparingly met with in New Holland, and two or three species are natives of Europe : among the latter, ranks the best known one of the order, the caper-bush, (Capparis spinosia) much cultivated in the south of Europe, on account of its flower-buds which, when pickled, become the much esteemed caper of commerce. Some of the herbaceous forms, are very widely distributed over the world, being found in Asia, Africa, and America. The shruby forms are more limited in their range, the species being usually confined to one of these countries. Some however, are, I believe, common to Asia and Africa. In India the Capparideae are numerous, not only with reference to the number of species, but still more so with regard to individuals. Some of the herbaceous ones are our most common weeds, met with in every field, others occur in every piece of waste ground or neglected spot. Some of those belonging to the shruby subdivision of the order, are nearly equally common, such is the case with Capparis horrida, the rather handsome flowers of which, are at this season to be seen decorating almost every hedge. Cadaba Indica is very generally met with among rubbish, and almost every dilapidated Pagoda in the country, is more or less overgrown with this plant. It is also frequent in villages about ruinous mud walls. Of Capparis sepiaria and incanescens, I have seen whole jungles, and these of the most impenetrable kind, when thick, owing to their numerous sharp replexed thorns. In some situations the species of Crataeva, are nearly equally abundant, and when in flower, infinitely more ornamental, each branch terminating in large clusters of showy flowers. 1 have only however seen it attaining this degree of perfection near tanks or water courses, where the soil was rich and moist. They are however handsome plants in all situations.

The many points of affinity in structure between this order and Cruciferae, have been already adverted to. In their properties they are equally allied, having like them an acrid volatile principle, highly stimulating and irritating when applied to the skin. The roots of the caper bush are stimulating and diuretic, like those of so many of the Cruciferae, and the flower buds of Capparis spinosa (capers) are much esteemed in the south of Europe, where they grow, as an antiscorbutic. Some species of Cleome have an acrid taste, which has been compared, by many, to mustard. The leaves and succulent stems of Polanesia ( cleome ) icosandra, applied to the skin, excite inflammation, and are sometimes employed as a sinapism : in this country, the seed are administered as a carminative and vermifuge. The leaves of Gynandropsis ( cleome ) pentaphylla bruised, and applied to the skin, act as a rubefacient, and produce very abundant serous exudation, affording in many cases the relief derived