Chenopodales.] 



PHYTOLACCACEiE. 



509 



acinosa is also so employed in the Himalayas. P. di-astica, a Cliilian plant, with a 

 turnip-shaped root, is said to have a most Wolent action as an evacuant. Berries of 

 the Rivina jield a rich red dye. 



Mohlana, ^fa}•t. 



Hillcra,T\. Flum. 

 Rivina Plum. 



Solanoidcs, Tournef. 

 Limeuiu, Linn. 

 Stegnosperma, Bcnth. 



Position. 



lAnscotia, Adans. 



Dicarpfea, Presl. 



Gaudinia, Gaj-. 

 Semonvillea, Gay. 

 Microtea, Swart z. 



Potamophila, Schrank 



GENERA. 



Schollera, Swartz. 

 Ancistrocarpus, Kuth. 

 Ajthananthe, Link. 

 Giesekia, Linn. 

 Kalreutcra, Murr. 

 Miltus, Lour. 



Phj-tolacca, Tournef. 



Kcrmesia, Endl. 



Pircunia, Berter. 



Anisomeria, Don. 

 Ercilla, Adr. Juss. 



Bndgesia,Ilook. et A. 



Numbers. Gen. 9. Sp. 60. ? 



PolygoimcecB. 

 -Phytolaccaceje.- 

 Ranunculacece ? 

 MalvacecB J 



■Chenopodiaceae. 



the name given to a supposed Order 



SuRiANACE^, (Wight and Arnott, Prodr. 1. 360 ; Ed. jyr. evil.) 

 of plants represented by a solitary species, Suriana maritima 

 found on the coast of all tropical countries. In the last edi- 

 tion of this work it is thus described. A woody plant with 



alternate leaves without stipules. Hairs capitate, jointed. 

 Flowers racemose, n • Calyx 5 -parted, slightly imbricated. 

 Petals the like number, equal, shortly clawed. Stamens 

 indefinite, hypogj-nous, placed in a single row ; filaments 

 subulate ; anthers roundish, incumbent, bursting internally 

 by two longitudinal fissures. Carpels 5, distinct, attached to 

 a very short gj-nobase, 1-celled with 2 ascending collateral 

 ovules ; styles rising from near the base of the carpels ; stig- 

 mas simple. Pericarp woody. Seed solitary, erect, com- 

 pressed. Embryo annular, without albumen, terete, with 

 the cotj-ledons about the same length as the radicle which is 



turned to the hilum. This is one of those obscure forms, 



whose relationship can hardly be decided satisfactorily until 

 some allied genus shall have been discovered ; for it seems 

 improbable that the genera Heterodendron and Cneorum, 

 with which it has been associated, should have any real affi- 

 nity. In some respects it may be compared with Coriaria- 

 cese and Cranesbills, but its annular embryo is so peculiar 

 as to indicate a somewhat different relationship ; and this, in- 

 deed, has led Dr. Wight (Illustr. 2. 45.) to suggest an affinity 

 to Phjlolaccads , especially to the genus Gisekia, "which 

 corresponds accurately in the character of the ovary and 

 fruit, and even of the seed." The presence of petals in 

 Suriana, he considers unimportant ; in which I agree with 

 him. A more grave objection lies in the position of the stamens, which, in Phytolaccads, are alternate 

 with the sepals ; but in Suriana, according to Mr. Arnott, they are opposite to them : and this Endlicher 

 confirms. The accompanjing figure is taken from a drawing made in 1820, and it may serve to assist 

 Botanists in coming to some conclusion upon this point. 



Fig. CCCXLVIII. 



Fig. CCCXLVIII. — Suriana maritima. 1. a flower ; 2. the pistil with one stamen ; 3. a carpel ; 4. a 

 ripe seed-vessel ; 5. a section of it ; 6. a section of an ovary. 



