452 



MONOTROPACE^. 



[Hypogynous Exogens. 



Order CLXVIII. MONOTROPACEiE.— Fir-rapes. 



Monotropese, Nutt. Gen. 1. 272. (1818) ; Endl. Gen. p. 760.; DC. Prodr. 7. 779. 



Diagnosis. — Erical Exogetis^with half monopetalous flowers, free stamens all^ierfectf loose- 

 shinned or winged seeds, and an embryo at the apex of the albumen. 



Parasites growing on the roots of Pines and other trees. The stems brown or almost 

 colourless, with no time leaves, but covered with 

 scales. Flowers in terminal spikes or I'acemes. 

 Sepals 4, 5, membranous, tapering, distantly 

 arranged in a broken whorl. Petals the same 

 number, either imbricated and saccate at the 

 base, or combined into a monopetalous corolla. 

 Stamens 8- 10, hypogynous, sometimes alter- 

 nating with 1 hypogynous recurved glands ; 

 anthers 2-celled, sometimes opening longitud- 

 inally, the cells becoming confluent by the rolling 

 back of the short anterior valves, and producing 

 the appearance of abilabiate anther; sometimes 

 parallel-celled with bristles at the base. Ovary 

 round, 4- 5-fmTOwed, articulated, with a short 

 cylindrical style, terminating in a succulent 

 funnel-shaped stigma ; 4- 5-celled at the base, 

 1 -celled, with 5 parietal placentse at the apex. 

 Fruit a dry capsule, sphtting tlu'ough the cells 

 and bearing the placentae on the middle of the 

 valves. Seeds 00, with a loose skm, or winged 

 at the end ; embryo minute, imdi\ided, in- 

 closed within the apex of fleshy albumen. 



The deliiscence of the anthers separates these 

 from Wmtergreens, as well as their leafless, 

 scaly, and parasitical habit ; besides which, 

 there is a difference in the position of the em- 

 bryo, that organ being at the apex of the albumen in Fir-rapes, and at its base in Winter- 

 greens. The cvirious leafless PjTola called P. aphylla exhibits, among Wintergreens, 

 the peculiar scaly brown aspect of Fir-rapes, and thus connects the two Orders. 



Natives of Europe, Asia, and North America, in cool places, especially in Fir woods. 



Several species smell of Violets or Pinks. In Gennany the powder of Monotropa 

 Hypopithys is given to sheep when attacked by coughs. The North American Indians 

 ai'e said to employ Pterospora andromedea as an anthelmintic and diaphoretic. 



Fig CCCXIV. 



GENERA. 



Monotropa, 2VmH. I Orohanch(ndes,To^x^aL\&chyfe\miz\&, Ell. I 



Hypopithys, Dill. I Pterospora, Nutt. Monotropsis, Schwein. 



' Corallophyllum,E'Mn<A. 

 Pholisma, Nuttall. 



Numbers. Gen. 6. Sp. 10. 



Orohanchacece ? 

 Position. — Pyrolacese. — Monotropace^.- 



Fig. CCCXIV.— Monotropa Hj-popithys. 2. a flower; 3. a pistil ; 4. the same divided perpendicularly; 

 5. a seed. — Nees. 6. seed of Pterospora andronaedea ; 7. a section of it. 



