FAMILIES OF FLOWERING PLANTS. 



73 



Family Chloranlhaceae. Chloranthus Family. A small and un- 

 important group, closely allied to the Pepperworts, and consisting of 

 three exclusively tropical genera, embracing about 30 species. They 

 are trees, shrubs, or rarely her])s. 



Family Lacistemaceae. Lacistema Family. Another small group, 

 with a single genus, Lacutema , including 16 South American species. 



CHAPTER XIII. 



Orders Sal i cedes, Jvglandales and, their Allies. 



Family Salicaceae. Willow Family. This is the only example of 

 its order, and it consists of two genera, Salix and Pojndus, with nearly 

 300 specis. Every one is familiar with the general appearance of the 

 willows and poplars; they are all shrubs and trees, with very diverse 



foliage, and flowers in a m e n t s or 

 ' 'catkins' ' as they are commonly 

 called. The plants are strictly dioe- 

 cious, bearing the staminate and pis- 

 tillate aments on dift'erent individ- 

 uals. The seeds are invested with 

 cottony hairs, and are produced in 

 such abundance that on city streets 

 where poplars are cultivated as shade 

 trees the o-round looks as if covered 

 with driven snow during the fruiting 

 season. The Salicaceae are natives 

 exclusively of temperate regions, 

 and are particularly abundant in 

 northern bogs and swamps. The 

 uses of various exotic species of wil- 

 low for basket work are well-known, 

 and the industry is one of large pro- 

 portions. Probably no other plants 

 afford twigs of such a high degree of flexibility, combined with tough- 

 ness, as the osier willow. The severed branches are very tenacious of 

 life, and will invariably sprout when placed in the ground, even after 

 much exposure. 



Family Myricaceae. Sweet Gale Family. This is the sole repre- 



FlG. 59.— The Cottonwood or Necklace 

 Poplar (Populiis deltoides). After Britton 

 and Brown, 111. Fl. Northeast U. S. 



