412 The Ohio Naturalist. [Vol, XII, No. 2, 



The Alismales and Ranales lead in the two classes, Monoco- 

 tylae and Dicotylae. The Helobiae do not represent the most 

 primitive leaf and stem arrangements because of nmnerous 

 hydrophytic adaptations. These adaptations are, however, direct 

 modifications of primitive types. But the flowers in the lowest 

 Alisimales and Nymphaeales are by far the most primitive to be 

 found among Monocotyls. However, the frequent dichotomous 

 venation of certain species is very suggestive of primitive seed 

 plants and ferns. The more primitive leaf and stem arrangements 

 to be found among the Monocotyls are preserved in such groups as 

 the palms, screw-pines and yuccas. 



Following the synopses, a complete classification is given of 

 the phyla, classes and subclasses, with a slight improvement over 

 the schemes published in fonner papers. 



'Synopsis of the vSubclasses and Orders of Anthophyta. 



HELOBIAE. 



Usually aquatic or marsh herbs with hypogynous or epigynous, 

 actinomorphic, spiral or cyclic, bisporangiate or monosporangiate 

 flowers; flowers solitary, axillary, racemose, or occasionally 

 closely clustered; perianth frequently with prominent corolla, 

 sometimes undifferentiated, vestigial or absent; carpels in the 

 lower forms numerous and free, in the higher few and united; 

 sperms in the pollengrain two. 



Synopsis. 



I. Flowers hypogynous or somewhat perigynous; carpels free or 



united, spiral or cyclic. 



1. Plants nomial, with chlorophyll. 



a. Hypocotyledonary expansion, if present not lobed or 



only slightly notched; ovules usually anatropous or 

 campylotropous ; leaves often narrow, not peltate 

 and not with a narrow basal sinus but sometimes 

 sagitate, or deeply cordate. Alismales. 



b. Hypocotyledonary expansion parted into two lobes or 



deeply notched ; ovules orthotropous ; aerial or float- 

 ing leaves peltate, with a deep basal sinus, or if some- 

 what sagitate then with carpels mimerous and 

 united. Nymphaeales. 



2. vSmall yellowish or reddish phagoph\'tes. Triuridales. 



II. Flowers epigynous; carpels united, cyclic. Hydrocharitales. 



SPADICIFLORAE. 



Trees, herbs, or climbing plants, usually with clustered flowers; 

 the inflorescence being a crowded panicle, spike or spadix, rarely 

 reduced; flowers hypogynous, often monosporangiate, the perianth 

 present or absent, not definitely differentiated into calyx and 

 corolla and commonh^ inconspicuous; carpels 4-1, usually 3, free 

 or united. 



