PiPERALES.J 



CHLORANTHACE^. 



519 



Order CXCVII. CHLORANTHACE^E—Chloranths. 



Chlorantheee, R. Brown in Bot. Mag. 2190. (1821) ; Lindl. Collect. Bot. 17. (1821) ; Meyer de HouUuynia 

 atque Saurureis, 51. (1827) ; Blume Flora Javce, (1829).— Chloranthaceae, Ed. pr. cxxxiii. ; Endl. 

 Gen. Ixxx. ; Meisner Gen. p. 334. 



Diagnosis. — Piperal Exogem, %oith a solitary o 

 and opposite leaves with 



a suspended ovide, a naJced embryo, 

 termediate stipides. 



Herbaceous plants or under-shrubs, with an aromatic taste. Stems jointed, tumid at 

 the articulations. Leaves opposite, simple, with sheathing petioles and minute inter- 

 vening stipules. Flowers in terminal 

 spikes. Flowers naked, with a support- 

 ing scale. Stamens lateral ; if more 

 than 1, connate, definite ; anthers 1- 

 celled, in Chloranthus, bursting longitu- 

 dinally, each adnate to a fleshy connec- 

 tive, which cohei'es laterally in various 

 degx-ees (2-celled, according to some) ; 

 filament shghtly adhering to the ovary. 

 Ovary 1 -celled ; stigma simple, sessile ; 

 ovule pendulous, orthotropal. Fniit 

 drupaceous, indehiscent. Seed pendu- 

 lous ; embryo minute, placed at the 

 apex of fleshy albumen, with the radicle 

 inferior, and consequently remote from 

 the liilum ; cotyledons divaricate. He- 

 dyosmum and Ascarina are both imi- 

 sexual. 



These differ remarkably from Peppers 

 and Sam'm'ads,intheii' naked embryo and 

 pendulous ovule. The want of an amniotic sac (or vitel- 

 lus) is so imexpected in plants otherwise so nearly akin 

 to those Orders, that nothing but the most careful 

 examination would satisfy the mind of that fact. 

 While, however, Chloranths are in other respects 

 inseparably connected ^\ith those Orders, a pai't of 

 them differ in the very important fact of the flowers 

 being absolutely diclinous. This indicates an affinity 

 to the Urtical AUiance. The anthers of Chloranthus 

 consist of a fleshy mass, upon the face of which the 

 cell hes that bears the pollen ; whether these anthers 

 are 1- or 2-celled, is a matter of doubt ; one Botanist 

 considering those which have 2 cells to be double 

 anthers, another understanding those with 1 cell to 

 be half anthers. Blume describes a calyx in this 

 genus sometimes present in a rudimentary state, 

 adhering to the ovary, and hence he suspects some 

 affinity between Chloranths and Opercvdaria. But 

 I am persuaded that no such rudiment exists : it is not represented in Blume's figures. 



Natives of the hot parts of India and South America, the West Indies, and Society 

 Islands. 



The whole plant of C. officinalis, and brachystachys, has an aromatic fragrant 

 odour, which is gradually dissipated in drying ; but its roots retain a fragi'ant cam- 

 phorated smell, and an aromatic, somewhat bitter, flavour. They are found to possess 

 very nearly the properties of Aristolochia serpentaria, and in as high a degi'ee. There 

 seems to be no doubt that they are stimulants of the highest order. The mountaineers 



Fig. CCCLV.— Chloranthus monostachys. 1. exterior view of a flower; 2. perpendicular section of it, 

 the anther being removed ; 3. a ripe fruit ; 4. a perpendicular section of it. 



Fig. CCCLV. 



