244 DIOECIA. POLYANDRiA.. 
804, MENISPERMUM. L. (Moonseed:) 
“Mase. Calix subbibracteate, about 6-leaveds. 
_ eaducous. Petals 6 to 9, glandular, minute and: 
_ Fetuse. Stamina 16, or 18 to 24. Anthers ad- 
nate to. the filaments, 4-lobed, 2-celled.. Fem. 
Flower as the male... Germs and styles § to 6. 
Drupes mostly solitary, 1-seeded. Nut lunate, 
compressed. 
"wining shrubs; leaves alternate, simple, often excen- 
Baaly peltate or roundly cordate; flowers axillary, in 
_ Pacemose panicles, small, and unibracteate; fruit red or 
_ dark purple and pruinose- 
_-—-« $Pecigs.1. M. canadense. Pluk. Phyt. t. Sf. a. Bs 
virgincum.. 3: Lyoni. Pu. 
A genus of about 24 species almost exclusively indige- 
nous to India, there are also 3 species in Japan, 1 in Ara- 
bia Felix, and 1 in Guianne. MM. canadense is also found 
in Siberia. The berries of some of the species possess 
the property of intoxicating fish and birds, while those of. 
Sa Cebatha of Forskall gre-said to be esculent. 
_ iment strobiliform.—Masce. Calia consisting 
of obovate scales. Corolla none. Antlers glo- 
hose, sessile upon the scales, opening by a fis- 
sure, Fem. Calix peltate scales. Corolla 
one. Germs.2. Styles none. Berries 2, 1- 
_ -—- Caudex mostly shrubby, summit:comose; teives alter- 
‘fate, sheathing, pinnate; cones between the terminal 
leaves, the female ones large and simple, the masculine 
smaller and many together. 
Ectes. 1, Z. integrifolia. Ons. Root a somewhat 
ical coated tuber, the farina of which after lixivation, 
to be wholesome and esculent. This is another of 
. the ropts called Tuckahoe (or bread) by the aborigines. 
_& genus of about 14 species indi nous to India, tropi- 
cal America and the Cape of Baad Maper there is also 2 
species very abundant in New Holland, the berries, of 
which are ve very actid and poisonous, 
