285 



male and female flowers. Pandanea3 are remarkable amon^ arborescent 

 monocotyledons for their constant tendency to branch, which is always 

 effected in a dichotomous manner. Their leaves have also a uniform spiral 

 arrangement round the axis, so as to give the stems a sort of corkscrew ap- 

 pearance before the traces of the leaves are worn away. The Chandelier 

 Tree of Guinea and St. Thomas's derives its name (Pandanus Candelabrum) 

 from this peculiar tendency to branching. 



Geography. Abundant in the Mascaren Islands, especially the Isle 

 of France, where, under the name of Vaquois, they are found covering the 

 sandy plains. They have peculiar means given them by nature to subsist 

 in such situations in the shape of strong aerial roots, which are protruded 

 from the stem, and descend towards the earth, bearing on their tips a loose 

 cup-like coating of cellular integument, which preserves their tender newly- 

 formed absorbents from injury until they reach the soil, in which they quickly 

 bury themselves, thus adding at the same time to the number of mouths by 

 which food can be extracted from the unwilling earth, and acting as stays 

 to prevent the stems from being blown about by the wind. They are com- 

 mon in the Indian Archipelago, and in most tropical islands of the Old 

 World, but are rare in America. From this continent Cyclanthus and 

 Phytelephas are the only genera of Pandanese, if they really belong to the 

 order, that have been described. The former, called Tagua, resembles 

 Palms in its fronds, which equal those of the Cocoa Nut in dimensions, in 

 its torulose scaly stem, and, finally, in the remarkable structure and weight 

 of its fruit. Humh. de Distr. Geogr. 198. 



Properties. The seeds of Pandanus are eatable. The flowers of Pan- 

 danus odoratissimus are fragrant and eatable. The fruit of several is also 

 an article of food. The leaves are used for thatching and cordage. The 

 immature fruit is reputed emmeuagogue. Buttons are turned from the hard 

 albumen of Phytelephas, or the Tagua plant. Humb. 1. c. 



Examples. Pandanus, Freycinetia. 



CCLV. TYPHACE.E. The Bulrush Tribe. 



Typh^, Juss. Gen. 25. (1789). — Aroide^, §3. R.Brown Prodr. 338.(1810).— 

 Typhijjje, AgardhAph. 139. (1823). — Typhace/E, Dec and DuUj, 482.(1828); 



Lindl. Synops. 247. (1829) Typhoide^e and SparganioidevE, Link Handb. 



1. 132. 133. (1829), both sections o/ Cyperacese. 



Diagnosis. Spadiceous triandrous monocotyledons, with 3 half-glu- 

 maceous sepals, clavate anthers, long lax filaments, a solitary pendulous 

 ovulum, and dry fruit. 



Anomalies. 



Essential Character Floiuers unisexual, arranged upon a naked spadix. Se- 

 pals 3, or more. Petals wanting. Males : Stamens 3 or 6, anthers wedge-shaped, attached 

 by their base to long filaments. Females: Ovary single, superior, 1 -ceiled; omdnm soli- 

 tary, pendulous; style short; stigmas 1 or 2, simple, linear. Fruit dry, not opening, 1- 

 celled, 1-seeded. Embryo in the centre of albumen, straight, taper, with a cleft in one 

 side, in which the pliiniula lies ; radicle next the hilum. — Herbaceous plants, growing in 

 marshes or ditches. Stems without nodi. Leaves I'igid, ensiform, with parallel veins. 

 Spadix without a spathe. 



Affinities. Jussieu, following Adanson, distinguishes these from 

 Aroideee, with which Mr. Brown re-unites them, retaining them, however, 

 in a separate section. They are generally regarded as a distinct tribe by 

 most writers, and are surely sufficiently characterised by their 3-sepaled 

 half-gluraaceous calyx, long lax filaments, clavate anthers, solitary pendu- 



