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Synopsis: Linnaean (DIELYTRA from dis two)

DIELYTRA, from dis, two, and elytron, a sheath or wing-case. It is also called Diclytra and Dicentra. N. O., Fumariaceoe. LINNAEAN: 17, Diadelphia; 2, Hexandria. --The plants of this order are herbs closely allied to the poppies. The leaves are alternate, much divided; flowers irregular, sometimes in terminal racemes, sometimes opposite the leaves, the colours usually purple, red, and yellow, more rarely white. Good examples of structure are furnished by the wild fumitory, the corydalis, and the dielytra. It will be seen that the calyx consists of two flat pieces that soon fall off; the corolla is tubular, formed of four unequal petals. In the fumitory the largest petal is drawn out into a spur; but in dielytra there is no spur. The fruit is usually a pod containing many seeds, which are shed by the opening of the pod in two valves. The plants of this order have but little importance in the arts, and they are, for the most part, as innocuous as they are useless. The common fumitory (F. officinalis) is, however, often used as a medicine in skin diseases, and as an aid to the stomach after exhausting fevers. In many places the juices of the fumitories or smoke-worts are used to curdle milk. ZINNIA, named after J. G. Zinn, German Professor of Botany. N. O., Compositoe, or Asteraceoe. LINNAEAN: 19, Syngenesia; 2, Superflua. -- For characters see under "Aster" in synopsis to First Series, page xi.

PHLOX, from phlox, a flame, in allusion to the splendour of the flowers. N. O., Polemoniaceoe. LINNAEAN: 5, Pentandria; 1, Monogynia. -- The order represented by Polemonium consists, for the most part, of herbaceous plants with alternate leaves, regular flowers which have a five-cleft calyx, and a five-lobed corolla consisting of one piece as in the primulas. The stamens are five in number, inserted alternately with the lobes of the corolla; ovary three-celled, fruit a capsule. There is not much to be said of this order, as it has no important place in the arts, and it is restricted in its forms and geographical distribution. It is more largely represented in the new than in the old world, and the majority of its members are found in temperate climates, a few of the smaller kinds giving a glow of colour to alpine and sub-arctic scenery. As garden plants, many of them are of great importance, as not only the phlox, but the gilia, ipomopsis, cobaea, leptosiphon, and the lovely cantua are members of the order.