350 CXV. PIPERACE. 
spikes) imbricated with oblong, sessile bracts. Stamens 2-5, 
with terete filaments, and ovate or cordate-reniform, 2-celled 
anthers.—Female: Bracts peltate, persistent, subsessile, ob- 
long or orbicular, often hairy beneath. Ovary sessile, ovate ; 
stigmas 3-5, sessile, thick, short or shortly lanceolate, recurved, 
hispid above. Berry constricted at base, falsely pedicellate, 
subglobose ; pericarp thin.— Endl. Gen. Suppl. iv. p. 16 ; Mig. 
Pip. p. 285. 
Climbing shrubs or small trees, growing in woods. Leaves petioled, 3- 
or many-nerved or ribbed, membranous or coriaceous, glabrous or pubes- 
cent, those of each sex often differing. Spikes opposite the leaves ; the 
male slender, the female thicker and slightly curved.—C. Capensis, Miq., 
the only species, was sent by Verreaux to Herb. Delessert: no habitat 
given. 
3. PEPEROMIA, Ruiz and Pay. 
Flowers hermaphrodite, in dense or lax spikes. Bract peltate, 
petioled or subsessile, persistent or deciduous. Stamens 2, 
lateral, free. Ovary ovate or oblong, sessile or half-sunk in 
the rachis; stigma undivided, sessile, deciduous, penicillate. 
Berry sessile, nearly dry, obliquely ovate or subglobose.— 
Endl. Gen. Suppl. iv. p. 15; Mig. Pip. p. 63. 
Herbs, chiefly tropical, erect or creeping, succulent. Leaves opposite, 
whorled or alternate, mostly petioled. Spikes axillary or opposite the 
leaves.—1 or 2 small Cape species, found in very shady, damp places. 
Orver CXVI. PODOSTEMACEZ, 
Flowers inconspicuous, naked or bursting through a spathe 
or with imperfect perianth, or with 3 sepals. Stamen 1 or 0, 
hypogynous, distinct or monadelphous, sometimes unilateral. 
Ovary 1-3-celled, with numerous ascending anatropous ovules 
attached to a fleshy axile or parietal placenta; style 0; 
stigmas 1-3. Fruit ribbed, capsular, of 2-8 deciduous valves. 
Seeds numerous, minute, exalbuminous.—Branched herbs or 
foliaceous expansions, attached to stones in rivulets, always 
more or less submerged, often resembling cryptogamous 
plants. Flowers inconspicuous, sessile or pedicelled, axillary 
or terminal. 
Flowers diecious. PerianthO ... . . . . 1. Hyprostacuys. 
Flowers hermaphrodite. 
Stamens 2, monadelphous. Perianthaspathe . 3: SPHHROTHYLAX. 
Stamen solitary. Perianth 3-parted . . . . . 3. TRISTICHA. 
1. HYDROSTACHYS, Petit Thouars. 
Flowers dicecious, sessile in the axils of imbricating bracts. 
Perianth 0—Male: Stamen 1; filaments forked, each fork 
