172 



CLIX. SAURURE^. 



SaururEjE, Rich. Anal. (1808) ; Meyer de Houttuyma atque Saurureis, (1827); 

 Martins Hort. Mmac. (1829.) 



Diagnosis. Achlamydeous dicotyledons, with 4 carpella, ascending 

 ovules, and embryo in a sac. 

 Anomalies. 



Essential Character Flowers naked, seated upon a scale, hermaphrodite. 



Stamens 6, clavate, hj'pogynous. persistent ; filaments slender ; anthers continuous with the 

 filament, cuneate, with a thick connectivum and 2 lateral lobes bursting longitudinally. 

 Ovaria 4, each distinct, with 1 ascending ovialum and a sessile recurved stigma, or connate 

 into a 3- or 4-celled pistillum, with a few ovula ascending from the edge of the projecting 

 semi-dissepiments. Fruit either consisting of 4 fleshy indehiscent nuts, or a 3. or 4-celled 

 capsule, opening at the apex and containing a few ascending seeds. Seeds with a mem- 

 branous integument; embryo minute, lying in a fleshy lenticular sac, which is seated on the 

 outside of hard mealy albumen at the end most remote from the hilum — Herbaceous plants, 

 growing in marshy places, or floating in water. Leaves alternate, with stipulce. Hairs 

 jointed. Floivers growing in spikes. 



Affinities. Very near Piperacese, with which they agree in habit, 

 but from which they differ in the compound nature of their ovarium, and 

 their numerous stamens. From repeated examination of the embryo of 

 Saururus, I have no doubt whatever that the embryo has no kind of vascular 

 connexion with the sac that contains it ; and hence I adopt the opinion of 

 Mr. Brown, that this sac is in reality nothing but the remains of the amnios 

 surrounding the embryo. For the opinions of Mirbel and Richard upon 

 this subject, see the figures and remarks of the former in Ann. Mus. 16. 

 449., and of the latter in Humboldt and Bonpl. N. Gen. et Sp. 1. 3.; 

 the latter being unquestionably wrong in considering the sac a portion of 

 the embryo. This order is one of those which tend to destroy the distinc- 

 tion between Monocotyledons and Dicotyledons. Its affinity with Fluviales 

 is indicated by the floating habit and general appearance of Aponogeton, 

 and with Typhinese by its anthers ; but its foliage and stipulae are those of 

 Dicotyledons, and the structure of the seed and the position of the embryo 

 in a fleshy sac demonstrate its vicinity to Piperacese. 



GEociRAPHY. Natives of North America, China, the north of India, 

 and the Cape of Good Hope, growing in marshes or pools of water. 



Properties. Unknown. 



Examples. Saururus, Aponogeton. 



CLX. CHLORANTHE^. 



CuLORANTHE^., R. Brotvti in Bot. Mag. 2190. (1821); Lindl. Collect. Bot. l?- (1821); 

 Meyer de Houttuynia atque Saurureis, 61. (1827) ; Blume Flora Java, (1829.) 



Diagnosis. Achlamydeous herbaceous dicotyledons, with a 1-celled 

 ovarium, a pendulous ovukim, opposite leaves, spiked flowers, and an 

 embryo not enclosed in a sac. 



Anomalies. Saururus, Aponogeton. 



Essential Character. — Flowers naked, spiked, hermaphrodite, or unisexual, 

 with a supporting scale. Stamens lateral ; if more than 1, connate, definite ; anthers 

 1-celled, bursting loiigitudinally, each adiiate to a fleshy counectivum, which coheres late- 

 rally in various degrees (2-celled, according to some) ; filament slightly adhering to the 

 ovarium. Ovarium 1 -celled ; s^j^mrt simple, sessile ; oi'w/c pendulous. Fruit dnipaceous, 

 indehiscent. Seed pendulous; embryo minute, placed at the apex of fleshy albumen, with 



