Begonia
TROLLIUS, from trol, the German for round, in allusion to the globular flowers. N.O., Ranunculaceoe, or Crowfoots. LINNAEAN: 13, Polyandria; 6, Polygynia.--The globe flowers are closely allied to the hellebores; they are all hardy, yellow-flowered, and partial to loamy moist soils. BERBERIS, or BARBERRY, has its name from the Arabic berberys, which probably means a gooseberry. The English name is from the French. N.O., Berberidaceoe. LINNAEAN: 6, Hexandria; 1, Monogynia.--The plants of this order are herbs or shrubs, with alternate, simple or divided leaves, flowers yellow or white, regular, and usually with sensitive stamens that spring to the centre and discharge their pollen on the stigma when the filaments are touched at the base with a pin. The berberries and their relatives are widely distributed, generally in the temperate regions; they are partial to cool moist climates, and are mountainous plants in regions where the plains and valleys are too warm for them.
HEPATICA. The name refers to the lobed leaves, which may be likened to the liver in outline. N.O., Ranunculaceoe. LINNAEAN: 13, Polyandria: 6, Polygynia.--The hepaticas are closely related to the anemones, and conform to the conditions that suit those plants.
GENISTA, from the Celtic gen, a small bush, or from the Latin genu, in allusion to the pliability of the branches. N.O., Fabaceoe, Leguminous or Papilionaceous plants. LINNAEAN: 16, Monadelphia; 6, Decandria.--This grand order of plants, useful, poisonous, beautiful, various, occasionally wonderful, will always reward the student for a careful study of details, because of their constancy to the typical idea, and their curious variations in expressing it. They generally have compound, but some have simple, leaves. They have irregular hermaphrodite flowers, which are sometimes apparently so regular that it is impossible for the young student to quickly apprehend their morphological relationships. The corolla is likened to a butterfly in the term papilionaceous; usually it consists of five petals, one of which being larger than the rest, and in a dominating position, is called the standard, two others on either side are called the wings, and two below, which are united, are called the keel. The reduction of these to equality, as in the mimosa, is a puzzling character. The fruit is always a pod, but it may be a pea or a bean or a drupe, in which case the differences are of some account. CLARKIA, named after Captain Clarke, the traveller. N.O., Onagraceoe. LINNAEAN: 2, Diandria; 1, Monogynia.--The Clarkias are related to the epilobiums and evening primroses. They are annual plants, with linear or lanceolate leaves, and solitary or racemose flowers which are variously four divided. The capsule is linear, many seeded; seeds neither plumose nor winged.