209 



Affinities. This order, in its most genuine state, may be said to stand 

 between Petaloideous and Glumaceous Monocotyledons, agreeing with the 

 former in the floral leaves having assumed the verticiUate state necessary to 

 constitute a perianthium, and with the latter in their texture. But while a 

 glumaceous confounded calyx and corolla are the characteristic of one part of 

 the order, another part, approaching Asphodelese, assumes a petaloid state ; so 

 that little is finally left to separate Junceae from the latter, except the difference 

 in the testa of their seed. Mr. Brown remarks that Junceae are intermediate 

 between Restiaceae and Asphodelese, differing from the former in having an 

 included embryo, a radicle usually centripetal, and the stamens, when there are 

 only 3, opposite the sepals ; from Asphodeleae in the integument of the seed, 

 in the texture of the perianthium, and in habit. Prodr. 258. Agardh com- 

 bines Restiacea; and Junceae. Jlph. 157. 



From Palms they are distinguished, independently of their habit, by the 

 texture of the perianthium, by the constant tendency to produce more than 1 

 ovulum in each cell, and by the embryo never being remote from the hilum. 

 Juncus is an instance of a monocotyledonous plant having distinct pith. 

 " Xerotes, in the structure and appearance of its flowers, and in the texture of 

 albumen, has a considerable resemblance to Palms, but it wants the peculiar 

 characters of the seed, and also the habit of that remarkable order. Flagella- 

 ria differs from Xerotes chiefly in its pericarpium, and in the form and relation 

 of its embryo to the albumen, which is also of a different texture. In all these 

 respects it approaches to Cyperaceae, with some of whose genera it has even 

 a certain resemblance in habit." Brown in Flinders, 578. From Melan- 

 thaceae they are known by their concrete carpella, and anthers turned in- 

 wards. 



Geography. Chiefly found in the colder parts of the world, some even in 

 the coldest, two existing in the ungenial climate of Melville Island. Several, 

 however, are known in the tropics. Eight are mentioned as inhabiting the 

 tropical parts of New Holland alone. According to Humboldt, (Diss. Geogr. 

 43,) they constitute j}j of the flowering plants in the equinoctial zone ; in the 

 temperate zone, g\ ; in the frozen zone, ^ ; in North America, T } 7 ; in France, 

 •gL. In Sicily, according to Presl, they do not form more than ^^. 



Properties. Only employed for mechanical purposes, as the Rush and 

 others for making the bottoms of chairs, &c. ; the pith of the same for the 

 wick of common candles. Jancus effusus is cultivated in Japan for making 

 floor-mats. Thumb. The leaves of Flagellaria are said to be astringent and 

 vulnerary. 



Examples. Juncus, Luzula, Dasypogon. 



CCXLV. MELANTHACE.E. The Colchicum Tribe. 



Melasthee, Batsch. Tab. Aff. (1802.)— Colchicaceje, Dec. Fl. Fr. 3. 192. (1815); Ess. 

 Med. 298. (1816.)— MelanthacejE, R. Broun Prodr. 272. (1810); Lindl. Synops. 264. 

 (1829); Dec. and Duby, 473. (1S28.)— Veratreje, Salisb. in Hort. Trans. 1. 328. 

 (1812) ; Agardh Aplior. 166. (1823.)— Merender^e, Mirb. according to Decandolle. 



Diagnosis. Hexapetaloideous monocotyledons, with nearly separate car- 

 pella, and anthers turned outwards. 

 Anomalies. Campynema has an inferior ovarium. 



