CURVEMBRY.S:. 



363 



roots. USES. Several Piperaceae are used medicinally arid for spices on ac- 

 count of their pungent properties and the essential oils found in nearly all 

 parts of the plant. The following are officinal: "Black-pepper" (the unripe, 

 dried fruits) and "White-pepper" (the seeds of the ripe fruits) of Piper nigrum 

 (climbing shrub, East Indian) ; " Cubeb " berries of P. cubeba (climldng shrub, 

 Java. "Long-pepper" is the unripe inflorescence of P. longum, East India. 



FIG. 358. Piper nigrutn (Diagram). In 

 addition to the bract there are two struc- 

 tures resembling bracteoles. 



359. 



FIG. 359. Piper nigruni : Fruit in longi- 

 tudinal section, showing the endosperm, 

 perisperm, and pericarp. 



The leaves of P. angmtifolia (Matico) are officinal. The leaves of the Betel- 

 pepper (East India) are used together with the nuts of the Areca-palm to form 

 the well-known East Indian intoxicating compound "Betel." A good many 

 others are also used. 



Order 3. Chloranthaceae. (Chloranthus, Hedyosmum) have opposite leaves, 

 with stipules more or less united at the base, and inferior " drupes." Ovules 

 pendulous. Only endosperm. About 33 species, Tropical. 



Family 7. Curvembryae. 



The plants in this family have a curved ovule, and most fre- 

 quently a kidney-shaped seed (generally provided with tine, cuticular, 

 projecting- warts, Fig. 362J>), with a curved, peripheral embryo en- 

 closing the endosperm which is most frequently floury (Figs. 362 C, 

 365 H; for exceptions, see Fig. 366) ; the seeds in all cases are 

 borne on a centrally -placed, and in most cases free, placenta (they 

 are " basal " when there is only 1 ovule in the ovary, Fig. 364). 

 The flower is regular, hypogynous or perigynous (Fig. 364) (only 

 rarely epigynous) and usually 5-merous. The flower which is most 

 complete has 5 whorls (S5, P5, A5 + 5, G2 3 5), as in some 

 genera of the Caryophyllaceae (Figs. 360, 361) ; but from this 

 type it becomes reduced, the petals and stamens being suppressed, 

 so that finally 5 perianth-leaves, 5 stamens (opposite the perianth- 

 leaves), and 2 carpels (Fig. 361 F) only are present ; for example, 



