Of the genera included in this order (which were formerly included in Saxifragaceæ), Escallonia is the most important, as it contains several species of ornamental South American shrubs. The flowers of the different species vary considerably: in _E. rubra_, they are produced singly, and the corolla, which is pink, is tubular, with a short, five-cleft limb; but in _E. montevidensis_ the flowers, which are white, are produced in panicles, and have spread petals. The flowers of both species have five stamens, and two carpels, the styles of which are combined. The leaves are simple, alternate, and without stipules. Of the other plants contained in the order, I may mention that _Itea virginica_ is a North American shrub, with white flowers; and _Anopteris glandulosa_, which is also a shrub with white flowers, is a native of Van Diemen's Land.
The genus Saxifraga of Linnæus has been divided so as to form several genera; but they do not appear to be generally adopted. The flowers of all the species are rather small, and they are generally racemose, or panicled; and the corolla consists of five spreading petals with short claws, and there are twice that number of stamens. Among the most common species may be mentioned London Pride (_Saxifraga_ or _Robertsonia umbrosa_), and the Meadow Saxifrage (_Saxifraga_ or _Leiogyne granulata_), the flowers of the latter being large, and produced singly. In the genus Hydrangea the flowers are disposed in corymbs, and they have five petals, ten stamens, and from two to five styles; but in the outer flowers of the corymb the stamens and pistil are often wanting.
The genera Galax and Francoa, which were first included in Crassulaceæ, and afterwards in Saxifragaceæ, are now made into a new order called Galacineæ, or Francoaceæ, which is introduced here.
This order, which was separated from Saxifragaceæ by Dr. Brown, contains principally hothouse plants with erect spicate racemes or panicles of small flowers. Weinmannia, Bauera, and Cunonia are the principal genera.
ORDER XCVIII.--UMBELLIFERÆ--UMBELLIFEROUS PLANTS OR THE PARSLEY TRIBE.
This is a very large order, but it is so natural that no person who has seen Parsley in flower can ever be in any doubt as to an umbelliferous plant. Most of the species are either culinary plants, such as the Parsnep and Carrot, Celery, Parsley, Fennel, &c., or poisonous weeds, such as Hemlock, and the Water Parsnep; and there are very few ornamental plants included in the order: among these few may, however, be mentioned _Didiscus_ or _Trachymena cærulea_, _Eryngium_, and _Bupleurum_ or _Tenoria fruticosum_, _Angelica_, and _Heracleum_. Some of the species of the latter, particularly the Gigantic Siberian Cow Parsnep (_H. asperum_), are perfectly magnificent objects. Notwithstanding the ease with which these plants may generally be recognised, as in some of the allied orders the flowers grow in umbels or cymes, it may be necessary to remark that Dr. Lindley defines umbelliferous plants to consist of those which have their "flowers growing in umbels, with inferior fruit, which, when ripe, separates, or may be separated, into two grains." Thus the common Dogwood is not an umbelliferous plant, though its flowers grow in umbels, because its fruit is a berry.