198 CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE NATIONAL HERBARIUM. 
Order 24. CHENOPODIALES. 
KEY TO THE FAMILIES. 
Fruit a capsule, dehiscent by apical or longitudi- 
nal valves. 
Ovary several-celled; corolla wanting ...... .47, AIZOACEAE (p. 228). 
Ovary 1-celled; corolla usually present. 
Sepals 2..........2- eee eee eee ee eee eens 48. PORTULACACEAE (p. 229). 
Sepals 4 or 5. 
Sepals distinct; petals not clawed; 
ovary sessile..........--- en eeeeee 49, ALSINACEAE (p. 234). 
Sepals united; petals clawed; ovary 
more or less distinctly stipitate...50. SILENACEAE (p. 240). 
Fruita utricle, achene, or anthocarp, indehiscent, 
circumscissile, or bursting irregularly. 
Fruit an anthocarp, the achene surrounded 
by the tube of the corolla-like calyx ...45. ALLIONIACEAE (p. 216). 
Fruit not an anthocarp. 
Fruit an achene or berry..-.....-....--- 46. PHYTOLACCACEAE (p. 228). 
Fruit a utricle. 
Stipules present, scarious...........44, CORRIGIOLACEAE (p. 216). 
Stipules wanting. 
Bracts scarious...........----- 43. AMARANTHACEAE (p. 209). 
Bracts not scarious...........- 42, CHENOPODIACEAE (p. 198). 
42. CHENOPODIACEAE. Goosefoot Family. 
Annual or perennial herbs or shrubs; leaves usually simple, alternate, sometimes 
much reduced; flowers perfect or unisexual, small, apetalous, the sepals sometimes 
wanting, replaced in the pistillate flower by a pair of scales, these becoming variously 
modified in fruit; sepals 5 or fewer, the stamens as many and opposite them; pistil 1, 
- with a single ovule; fruit an achene or utricle. 
The family is a very important one in the arid regions, where representativ es are 
numerous both as to species and individuals. They seem to be particularly adapted 
to bright sunlight and dry soil, and are tolerant of alkali. Several of the species are 
important forage plants, a few are eaten by man, and several are troublesome weeds. 
KEY TO THE GENERA. 
Embryo spirally coiled; leaves fleshy (except in no. 2), 
linear or awl-shaped. 
Shrubs, 1 to 3 meters high, with moneecious flowers; 
staminate flowers spicate, without a perianth; 
pistillate flowers solitary, axillary; fruiting calyx 
winged .........0..02 220 - eee eee eee eee eee eee ee 1. Sarcopatus (p. 199). 
Herbs, at most suffrutescent, the stems 150 cm. high or 
less; flowers perfect; fruiting calyx winged or 
naked. 
Fruiting calyx winged; leaves spiny; plants be- 
coming tumbleweeds........---..--.---+-- 2. Satsoxa (p. 199). 
Fruiting calyx not winged; leaves fleshy; not 
tumbleweeds.......-.---- 2... sence eee eee 3. Donpta (p. 200). 
Embryo annular; leaves mostly flat and broad (linear in no. 
7, scalelike in no. 4). 
Stems and branches jointed (younger parts terete and 
and very succulent); leaves scalelike........-- 4, ALLENROLFEA (p. 201). 
