Menispermum. MENISPERMACEiE. 47 



without stipules, simple, palmately veined. Flowers minute, in ra- 

 cemes or panicles. 



The true structure of the fruit in this order, is f^iven by A. St, Hilairc, in his 

 Flora Brazihiu Mcridionalis. After fecundation tlie ovary begins to grow on one 

 side, and curves until, in most cases, the summit is brought close to the base. Tlic 

 fruit, Avhich is a true drupe, has an obovatc or subglobose form, and the nut is curv- 

 ed like a horse-shoe, so that -when it is cut transversely it appears to be ^-celled, a 

 false dissepiment being formed by the bending together of the two ends of the fruit. 

 The shell or cndocarp is often mistaken for the testa of the seed, the proper integu- 

 ments being membranaceous. According to De Candolle, the anthers are extrorse ; 

 but they arc certainly introrse in Menispermum Lyoni, and in some species of 

 Cocculus. 



1. COCCULUS. Baiihin; DC. syst. l.p. 515. 



Flowers diojcious. Sepals 6, in a double series. Petals 6, distinct. Sterile 

 Fl. Stamens 6 (rarely 3), distinct. Fertile Fl. Sometimes G abortive 

 stamens. Ovaries 3-6. Drupes 1-6.— Racemes axillary. 



Differs from Menispermum chiefly in the stamens being equal in number to the 

 sepals (or rarely half as many), and not twice or more than twice as numerous. 



1. C. CaroUmis (DC): minutely pubescent ; leaves cordate or ovate, en- 

 lire or obscurely lobed (rarely hastately 3-lobcd), mostly obtuse, mucronate, 

 velvety-pubescent underneath ; petals biauriculate at the base and embracing 

 the filaments, emarginate ; anthers innate, 4-lobed; ovaries 3-6. — DC. syst. 

 1. p. 524. Menispermum Carolinianum, Walt. Car. p. 248 ; Michx.fi. 2. p. 

 242. Wendlandia populifolia, Willd. sp. 2. p. 275 ; Pursh, fi. 1. p. 252. 

 (excl. syn). W. Caroliniana, Nutt. ! gen. 1. p. 241. 



Woods and banks of rivers. North CaroUna, Mr. Curtis ! Georgia, Lc 

 Conte! Mississippi, Mitt all ! Arkansas, Dr. Pitcher! Kentucky, Dj\ 

 Shnrt ! — Stem slender, sarmentose. Leaves extremely variable in form, 2-4 

 inches long, and of nearly the same breadth, often quite entire, but usually 

 with several sinuate obtuse lobes, sometimes nearly orbicular-cordate, some- 

 what coriaceous when mature : petioles 1-4 inches long. Flowers sometimes 

 polygamous? Sterile Fl. in compound racemes which are often 3-parted to 

 the base, greenish-white. Bracteoles mostly sohtary. Sepals 6, orbicular, or 

 obovate, concave. Petals 6, fleshy, with 2 inflcxed auricles at the base of 

 each. Stamens 6: filaments thickened at the summit, on which is borne the 

 didymous anther-cells, appearing like 4 approximated spherules. Drupe red, 

 as large as a small pea, compressed ; the nut curved into nearly a complete 

 ring, notched on the margin. Seed terete, filling the circular cavity of the 

 nuL Embryo in the axis of the fleshy albumen and about the same length : 

 cotyledons hnear, approximated. 



2. MENISPERMUM. Linn. ; DC. syst. I. p. 539. 



Flowers dioecious. Sepals 4-8, in a double series. Petals 4-7, in a double 

 series ; sometunes none. Sterile Fl. Stamens 12-20, distinct. Fertile 

 Fl. Ovaries 2-4 (usually solitary). Drupes 1-4 (usually solitary), globose- 

 reniform.— Racemes axillary or supra-axillary. Sterile and fertile flowers 

 often dissimilar. 



InM. Dauricum, DC. {Dcless. ic. t. 100.) the sepals are 6 in number and the 

 corolla is wanting. 



