Piperacee.] THE HIMALAYAN MOUNTAINS. 331 
149. PODOSTEMEZ. 
This is one of the small orders which seems to destroy the distinction between 
Monocotyledons and Dicotyledons—heing usually placed in the former, but considered 
by Dr. Lindley as. allied. to Piperacee. Though thought, to be. confined to the warm 
Madagascar and the Mauritius, one species, Podostema,. Wallichii, Br., has been disco- 
vered by Dr. Wallich on the mountains of Silhet, 
150. CHLORANTHE. 
This is a small order established. by Mr. Brown, and allied to Saurure@ and Pipe— 
race, of which the species are found in the tropical parts of S. America, the West- 
Indies, and Society Islands. The genus Chloranthus occurs in China, Japan, and in 
India inthe forests of Goalpara, and Silhet, where is found C, erectus,Wall., nearly 
allied to C.inconspicuus and serratus, found in those countries. Many of the plants of 
this family are aromatic and fragrant, and the leaves and roots of some species are said 
to resemble snake-root in their properties and uses. 
151, SAURUREZ. 
The Saururee are, like Chloranthea, allied to Piperacee. The genus found in North 
America, from which the order is named, has its place supplied in the Old World by 
Aponogeton, existing in similar situations, and which in its habits has considerable 
resemblance to Fluviales. It is found in ponds of water (and the same species, 
A. monostachyon and undulatum) all over the plains of India, as well as of China ; 
also in Ceylon, and at the Cape of Good Hope. Houttuynia, placed here by Bartling, 
but referred by Jussieu to Aroidee, with a query ‘ An Naiadibus affinia,” is also 
common to India, Cochin-china, and Japan; and the same species, H. cordata, has 
been found in all these countries, and in the vallies of the Himalayas, from Goalpara 
to the Sutlej. Its leaves are said to be used as a pot-herb in Nepal. Dr. Roxburgh 
states, that the natives of India are fond of the roots of Aponogeton monostachyon, which 
he states are nearly as good as potatoes. 
152.. PIPERACE. 
The Piperacee, like some of the preceding families, are sometimes placed among 
Monocotyledons, and at others among Dicotyledons; as by Richard, Mirbel, De 
Candolle, and Blume, in the former. By Jussieu, the genus Piper was placed near 
Urticee. Mr. Brown ‘has omitted them in the first volume of his Prodromus, whence 
we may infer that he considers them to belong to Dicotyledons, where they are placed 
by Meyer and Dr. Lindley. The latter considering them related to Polygonee, Sau- 
rureé, and Urticee, as well as to Chloranthee, adds, em the opinion of those 
who believe Piperacee to be Monocotyledons, their station is near Aroidee, with which, 
indeed, they must be considered in any point of view to be closely connected:” 
7U 2 The 
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