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Chloranthus monostachys. One-spiked 

 Chloranthus, or Chu-lan. 



C'Zflss and Order. 



MONANDRIA MONOGYNIA. 



* Plores apetali. 



Generic Character. 



Anthera lateri ovarii insidens (indivisa, bUocularis; vel 

 triloba,, 4-locularis). Ovarium monospermum : ovulo pendulo. 

 Stigma capitatum. Drupa. Brown. 



Specific Character. 



Chloranthus monostachys ; antheris incurvis trilobis in- 

 divisisve, spicis solitariis, floribus alternis. Br. 



In the natural system Jussieu considers Chloranthus as 

 very nearly related to Viscum, and has placed it in his family 

 ofLoranthece,as established in the Annates du Museum, vol. 

 12. p. 299. But Brown makes it the type of a new order, 

 to be called Chloranthece, the definition of which we may 

 expect from him, perhaps in the next volume of the Transac- 

 tions of the Linnean Society. To this family belong Ascarina 

 of Forster, and Hedyosmum of Swartz (the Tafalla of Ruiz 

 and Pa von). Its place in the system will be near to Pipe- 

 race& and Urticece, with both of which it agrees in having 

 the radicle of the embryo in a direction opposite to the um- 

 bilicus, and a one-seeded ovarium; but differs especially in 

 its pendulous ovulum and in habit. 



By the advice of Mr. Brown we have placed Chloranthus 

 in the first class of the Linnean system, although, he observes, 

 that only one known species (C. monander Br.) is really and 

 at the same time constantly monandrous; for in inconspicuus 

 and elatior (Br.) the three-lobed four-celled anther, hitherto 

 regarded as an antheriferous petal, is according to him com- 

 posed 



