FAMILIES OF FLOWEEING PLANTS 187 



about 20, and Jacaratia with 6 species, all tropical trees. They are 

 dioecious, the male flowers being disj^osed in loose clusters, with a fun- 

 nel-form gamopetalous corolla, on the throat of which are borne the 10 

 stamens. The female flowers are smaller, with a corolla of 5 distinct 

 I^etals. The fruit is oblong, very large, with a pulpy interior and a 

 thick fleshy rind. In the tropics it is universally known as the papaw, 

 a name, however, which is more properly applied to our northern tree, 

 Asimina triloba. The most widely diffused species is Carica Papaya; 

 it is sometimes known as the melon-tree. The fruit is not unlike a 

 melon in shape, but is of a dull orange-yellow color; in flavor, to the 

 uninitiated at least, it resembles a hybrid between a melon and a pump- 

 kin; it is, however, seldom eaten raw, but is usually made into a pre- 

 serve or sauce; the green fruit is either pickled, or boiled and eaten as 

 a vegetable. 



Family Loasaceae. Loasa Family. These are herbs, usually 

 rough w^th glutinoiis or sometimes stinging hairs, and having white, 

 yellow, or reddish flowers. The calyx-tube is united with the surface 

 of the ovary, so that the latter is said to be inferior. Petals 4 or 5; 

 stamens exceedingly numerous; ovary 1-celled, capsular in fruit. There 

 are 13 genera and 200 species, all but one of which are American. 

 Mentzelia is a conspicuous genus on the western plains, the yellow or 

 white flowers of some of the species expanding five or six inches (see 

 Fig. 166). Several other genera furnish greenhouse plants. 



Family Datiscaceae. Datisca Family. Contains 3 genera. Two 

 of these are monotypic; the other, Datisca, is represented by one spe- 

 cies on the Pacific coast {D. glomerata) and one throughout southwest- 

 ern Asia (JD. camiahhia). The plants are herbs or trees with monoe- 

 cious or dioecious flowers entirely destitute of corollas. Stamens 3-7; 

 ovary 1-celled, capsular in fruit. They possess bitter and purgative 

 qualities. The resemblance between Datisca and the hemp {Caimabis) 

 is so striking that the former is frequently called " false hemp." 



Family Begoniaceae. Begonia Family. Contains 4 genera, two 

 with one species, one with 3 species, and Begonia itself with about 200. 

 The plants are succulent herbs or undershmbs, widely distributed in 

 tropical regions. The leaves are alternate, provided with stipules, and 

 almost invariably oblique in form; the flowers are monoecious, with 

 only a calyx, which is colored like a corolla, and is superior to the 

 ovary. The numerous stamens are aggregated in a head. Stigmas 3; 

 fruit 3-valved and winged. The plants furnish many species valued in 

 cultivation either for their foliage or flowers; they also possess medici- 

 nal properties. 



