88 



FAMILIES OF FLOWERING PLANTS. 



minal clusters of small o;reenish- white flowers and may be found grow- 

 ing in open underbrush. In the southern states three rare shrubs, 

 Darhya,, Pyridaria and BucMeya also represent the family. In Europe 

 the genera and species are much more numerous; while in Asia the 

 family becomes important on account of the Sandalwood, derived from 

 various species of Santalum. 



Family Grubbiaceae. Grubbia Family. A small and insignifi- 

 cant group consisting of the single genus Griibhia^ with 3 South Afri- 

 can species. 



Family Opiliaceae. Opilia Family. 

 Consists of three or four genera, each 

 with one or two species, confined to the 

 tropics of the Old World. By many 

 botanists it is regarded as a section of the 

 followincr: 



Family Olacaceae. Olax Family. 

 A group containing about 20 genera and 

 115 species, natives exclusively of tropical 

 and subtropical regions. They are trees 

 or shrubs with simple alternate leaves, 

 and perfect flowers provided with both 

 calyx and corolla; the former is united 

 into a single piece {ijamosej)alous\ and the 

 corolla consists of 3 to 6 distinct petals; 

 fertile stamens 3 to 10, with a like number 

 of sterile filaments; ovary several-celled, 

 becoming a one-seeded, fleshy fruit. 



The genus Ximenia, represented by 

 a single species in Florida, X. Americana, 

 brings this family within the flora of the 

 United States. Figure T3 shows a branch 

 with flowers, in which may be seen the sterile filaments. The fruit 

 is yellow and so much resembles a plum in appearance that it is locally 

 called by that name. It is edible, being sweetish in taste and slightly 

 astringent in properties. 



Family Balanophoraceae. Balanophora Family. Contains 14 

 o-enera and about 30 species, natives of warm or hot climates. They 

 are succulent leafless parasites, entirely destitute of chlorophyll, and 

 consequently not green in color, but of various shades of yellow or 



Fig. 73.— The Florida Wild Plum 

 (Ximenia Americana), one-half nat- 

 ural size. Original. 



