Calyx short, broadly bell-shaped or hemispherical, with 5–7 erect teeth, and as many longer and spreading horn-like processes at the sinuses. Petal 5. Stamens 10 (rarely 8), exserted, of two lengths. Capsule globose, 3–5-celled, loculicidal.—Perennial herbs or slightly shrubby plants, with opposite or whorled leaves, and axillary clusters of trimorphous flowers. (Name from δέκα, ten, and ὀδούς, tooth.)
1. D. verticillàtus, Ell. Smooth or downy; stems recurved (2–8° long), 4–6-sided; leaves lanceolate, nearly sessile, opposite or whorled, the upper with clustered flowers in their axils on short pedicels; petals 5, wedge-lanceolate, rose-purple (½´ long); stamens 10, half of them shorter. (Nesæa verticillata, HBK.)—Swampy grounds, N. Eng. to Fla., west to Ont., Minn., and La. Bark of the lower part of the stem often spongy-thickened.
6. CÙPHEA, Jacq.
Calyx tubular, 12-ribbed, somewhat inflated below, gibbous or spurred at the base on the upper side, 6-toothed at the apex, and usually with as many little processes in the sinuses. Petals 6, very unequal. Stamens mostly 12, approximate in 2 sets, included, unequal. Ovary with a curved gland at the base next the spur of the calyx, 1–2-celled; style slender; stigma 2-lobed. Capsule oblong, few-seeded, early ruptured through one side.—Flowers solitary or racemose, stalked. (Name from κυφός, gibbous, from the shape of the calyx.)
1. C. viscosíssima, Jacq. (Clammy Cuphea.) Annual, very viscid-hairy, branching; leaves ovate-lanceolate; petals ovate, short-clawed, purple; seeds flat, borne on one side of the placenta, which is early forced out of the ruptured capsule.—Dry fields, R. I. to Ga., west to Kan. and La.
Order 42. ONAGRÀCEÆ. (Evening-Primrose Family.)
Herbs, with 4-merous (sometimes 2–3- or 5–6-merous) perfect and symmetrical flowers; the tube of the calyx cohering with the 2–4-celled ovary, its lobes valvate in the bud, or obsolete, the petals convolute in the bud, sometimes wanting; and the stamens as many or twice as many as the petals or calyx-lobes, inserted on the summit of the calyx-tube. Style single, slender; stigma 2–4-lobed or capitate. Pollen grains often connected by cobwebby threads. Seeds anatropous, small, without albumen.—Mostly herbs, with opposite or alternate leaves. Stipules none or glandular.
[*] Parts of the flower in fours or more.
[+] Fruit a many-seeded pod, usually loculicidal.
[++] Calyx-limb divided to the summit of the ovary, persistent.