TYPHACEAE. 



Sub-class 1. MONOCOTYLEDONES. 



Embryo with a single cotyledon and. the first leaves of the 

 germinating plantlet alternate. Stem composed of a ground-mass 

 of soft tissue (parenchyma) in which bundles of wood-cells are 

 irregularly imbedded ; no distinction into wood, pith and bark. 

 Leaves usually parallel-veined, mostly alternate and entire, com- 

 monly sheathing the stem at the base and often with no distinc- 

 tion of blade and petiole. Flowers mostly 3-merous or 6-merous. 



t Carpels 1 or more, distinct (united, at least partially, in Vallisneriaceae and 

 others of the Xaiadales, which are aquatic herbs, in Hydrocharitales and in some 

 palms and Pandanales) ; parts of the usually imperfect flowers mostly unequal in 

 number. 



Inflorescence various, not a true spadix. 

 Leaves neither compound nor flabellate. 



Flowers not in the axils of dry chaffy scales. 



Endosperm mealy or fleshy ; perianth of bristles or chaffy scales, or want- 

 ing ; flowers monoecious, spicate or capitate 



Endosperm none, or very little. 



Perianth rudimentary, of 4 small 



sepals in Potamoycton, or none. 

 Perianth present. 

 Carpels distinct. 

 Carpels united. 

 Flowers in the axils of dry chaffy scales, ar- 

 ranged in spikes or spikelets. 

 Leaves pinnately or palmately compound, or fla- 

 bellate ; trees or shrubs. 

 Inflorescence a fleshy spadix, with or without a 

 spathe ; or plants minute, floating free, the flowers 

 few or solitary on the margin or back of the 

 thallus. 



ft Carpels united into a compound ovary ; 

 flowers mostly in 3's or 6's. 

 Seeds with endosperm. 



Endosperm mealy ; ovary mostly superior. 

 Endosperm fleshy or horny. 

 Seeds without endosperm, very numerous and minute ; 

 ovary inferior ; flowers very irregular. 



Order 5. Poales. 

 Order 6. Arecales. 



Order 7. Arales. 

 parts of the usually complete 



Order 

 Order 



8. Xyridales. 



9. Liliales. 



Order 10. Orchidales. 



Order 1. PANDANALES. 



Our species aquatic or marsh plants, with narrow elongated leaves 

 and very small, imperfect and incomplete flowers in spikes or heads. 

 Perianth of bristles, or of chaffy scales. Ovary 1, 1-2-eelled. Endo- 

 sperm mealy or fleshy. 



The order takes its name from the tropical genus Pandanas, the so- 

 called Screw-Pine. 



Family 1. TYPHACEAE J. St. Hil. 



Cat-tail Family. 



Marsh or aquatic plants with creeping rootstocks, fibrous roots and 

 glabrous erect, terete stems. Leaves linear, flat, ensiform, striate, sheath- 

 ing at the base. Flowers monoecious, densely crowded in terminal spikes, 

 which are subtended by spathaeeous, usually fugacious bracts, and divided 

 at intervals by smaller bracts, which are caducous, the staminate spikes 

 uppermost. Perianth of bristles. Stamens 2-7, the filaments connate. 



