44 ELEMENTS OF BOTANY. 



SUBCLASS 2. DICOTYLEDONS. 



Stems with distinct bark, wood, and pith ; fibrovascular 

 bundles in rings ; leaves netted-veined ; parts of the flower 

 mostly in 5's, rarely in 3's or C's ; cotyledons 2. 



20. SAURURACEJE. LIZARD-TAIL FAMILY^ 



Perennial herbs ; stems jointed ; leaves simple, alternate, 

 entire, with sheathing stipules ; flowers perfect, in bracted, 

 terminal spikes or racemes ; perianth none, stamens 4-8, 

 hypogynous ; ovaries 3-5, more or less united, ovules few ; 

 styles 3-5 ; fruit a few-seeded capsule, or somewhat fleshy. 



SAURURUS. 



Characters of the family. 



S'. CERNUUS L. Lizard-tail. Stem erect, from a slender root- 

 stock, forked above, pubescent when young, becoming smooth, 2-4 

 ft. high ; leaves cordate to ovate, strongly 5-9-ribbed, acute or acu- 

 minate at the apex, on stout petioles ; spikes slender, drooping 

 at the apex, closely flowered, peduncled ; flowers white, fragrant, 

 bracted ; stamens spreading, filaments club-shaped ; fruit somewhat 

 fleshy, of 3-4 carpels, each carpel 1-2-seeded. May- August. In 

 marshes and muddy places. 



21. JUGLANDACEiE. WALNUT FAMILY. 



Trees with alternate, odd-pinnate leaves without stipules ; 

 flowers monoecious, the staminate in long and drooping aments, 

 stamens few or many, calyx 2-6-parted ; the fertile solitary 

 or in small clusters, calyx 3-5-lobed, minute petals sometimes 

 present, ovary 1-celled or incompletely 2-4-celled ; fruit a 

 drupe with a dry exocarp enclosing a bony endocarp or nut. 



