FAMILIES OF FLOWEEING PLANTS 



111 



both liemisplieres, but particularly abundant in southern Asia. They 

 are lofty trees having alternate simple leaves and small monoecious or 

 dioecious flowers destitute of corollas; the stamens are from 3 to 12, 

 the ovary with one to several carpels. The fruit is succulent, enclosing 

 a single nut-like seed, closely invested with a membrane known tech- 

 nically as an aril. This false membrane, when dried and ground, con- 

 stitutes the spice called mace. It is of a bright red color when fresh, 

 but later turns dark brown. The nutmeg is also sun-dried before 

 being packed for shipment, and the outer shell is usually removed. 

 Commercial nutmegs are yielded by several species of Myrutica, but 

 the best, known as the Penang nutmeg, is the fruit of M. fragrans. 

 (See Fig. 93.) 



Familj^ Gomortegaceae. Gomor- 

 tega Family. This group resembles 

 the Lactoridaceae in being monotypic, 

 consisting of a single genus and spe- 

 cies, Gom Ortega nitida, a Chilean ever- 

 green shrub. 



Family Monimiaceae. Monimia 

 Family. Contains about 23 genera and 

 150 species, natives of South America 

 and Australasia. They are trees or 

 shrubs with opposite leaves and mo- 

 noecious flowers. The divisions of the 

 perianth are all similar, and are borne 

 in several rows; stamens indefinite; car- 

 pels several, becoming achenes in fruit, 

 enclosed within the persistent perianth. 

 The herbage, as well as the bark, is 

 fragrant and aromatic, indicating a re- 

 lationship to the succeeding family; the 

 plants possess little economic value, 

 except that the fruits of a few species 

 are edible. 



Family Lauraceae. Laurel Family. The highly aromatic trees 

 and shrubs of this important group, are distributed in about 40 genera 

 and over 900 species, common in tropical, but rather scarce in temper- 

 ate regions. They have simple, usually alternate leaves, and small per- 

 fect, monoecious or dioecious clustered flowers. The corolla is want- 

 ing; the calyx is 4-6 parted, bearing the stamens inserted in groups of 

 three; ovary 1-celled, becoming in fruit a 1-seeded berry or drupe. 



One of the eai'liest shrubs to indicate the approach of spring in the 

 eastern States is the spice-bush {Benzoin Benzoin); its tiny honey-yellow 



Fig. 95. The bloodroot (Sanguinaria 

 Canadensis). After Britton & Brown, 111. Fl. 

 Northeast. U. S. 



