281 

 Anomalies. Willdenowia has a drupaceous fruit. 



Essential Character. — Perianthium inferior, 2-G-parted, seldom wanting'. Stamens defi- 

 nite 1-6 ; when they are from 2 to 3 in number, and attached to a perianthium of 4 or 6 divi- 

 sions, they are then opposite the innersegments (pcfa/s) j anthers usually unilocular. Ovarium 

 1- or more celled, cells monospermous ; ovules pendulous. /'' "it capsular, or nueamentaceous. 

 {seeds inverted ; albumen of the same figure as the seed ; embryo lenticular, on the outside of the 

 albumen, at that end of the seed which is most remote from the hiluni. — Herbaceous plants or 

 undcr-shrubs. Leaves simple, narrow, or none. Culms naked, or more usually protected by 

 sheaths, which are slit, and have equitant margins. Movers generally aggregate, in spikes or 

 beads, separated by bractea:, and most frequently diclinous. R. Br. (1S1U). 



Affinities. The principal character distinguishing this family from Jun- 

 cese and Cyperacece consists in its lenticular embryo being placed at the ex- 

 tremity of the seed opposite to the umbilicus. From Junceoc it also differs in 

 the order of suppression of its stamina, which, when reduced to 3, are opposite 

 to the inner latinise of the perianthium ; and most cf its genera are distinguisha- 

 ble from both these orders, as well as from Commelineee, by then simple or uni- 

 locular anthers. Brown in Flinders, 579. To this may be added, that its 

 habit is rather that of Cyperacerc, especially when Xyrideea are excluded. 

 From all the orders with spadiceous characters, the glumaceous nature of its 

 perianthium, when it is present, distinguishes it. If the perianthium is absent, 

 it is then only to be known from Cyperacere by the position of the embryo, and 

 by the sheaths of its leaves being slit. M. Desvaux separates from the genera 

 with a perianthium those in which the flowers are actually naked, under the 

 name of Centrolepideae : he further adopts the supposed order of Eriocauloneae 

 of the late M. de Beauvois, which seems to differ from Restiaceee simply in 

 having 1-seeded cells in the capsule, and irregular flowers. The Elegiere of 

 M. de Beauvois were distinguished by nothing but their 2 or 3 styles. While 

 I adopt the opinion of all these being parts of the same natural order, I cannot 

 doubt that the tripetaloid flower and polyspermous fruit of Xyris, characters in- 

 dicating a far superior degree of evolution, are sufficient to separate that genus 

 as the representative of a peculiar order ; a measure which Mr. Brown appears 

 to have anticipated when he remarked (Prodr. 244.), that the genus Xyris, 

 although placed by him at the end of Restiacea?, is certainly very different from 

 the other genera, in the inner segments of the perianthium being petaloid, with 

 the stamens proceeeding from the top of their ungues, and in their numerous 

 seeds. 



Geography. All, with the exception of Eriocaulon, extra European ; 

 chiefly found in the woods and marshes of South America, and in New Hol- 

 land and southern Africa. 



Properties. None, except the tough wiry stems of some species are 

 manufactured into baskets and brooms. Wildenowia teres is employed for the 

 latter purpose, and Restio tectorum for thatching. 



Examples. Centrolepis, Restio, Thamnochortus, Tonina, Eriocaulon. 



CCLIV. PANDANEiE. The Screwpine Tribe. 



Pandaneje, R. Brown Prodr. 340. (1810); Dccand. Propr. Med. 278. (1816); Agarclk Apk. 

 133. (1822); Gaudichaudin Ann. des Sc.3. 509. (1824).— 1 Cyclantheje, Poiteau in 

 Mcm.Mus.d.M. (1822.) 



Diagnosis. Spadiceous monocotyledons, with naked flowers, and fibrous 

 drupes collected in parcels into many-celled pericarpia. 



46 



