CLASSIFICATION. 



The two median braeteoles of Portulacacese are often regarded as 

 eepals, if so the flower is hetero- or homo-chlamydeous. 



"Flowers are white, yellow, or brightly coloured in some Caryophyllaoess 

 "Portulacacese and Nyctaginaceaa, sometimes coloured but tcarioue in 

 A.marantacege, sometimes surrounded by brightly coloured bracts as in 

 Bougainvillea. 



Stamens and ovules sometimes numerous in PortulaoaceaB. Ovules 

 numerous in Deeringia among Amarantacefe. 



Sepals and stamens sometimes only 1-3 in Amarantus and Alternan- 

 thera (Amarantaceous herbs). 



56. The Portulaca Family. 



Herbs, often fleshy with inconspicuous (in garden species 



orilliantly coloured) flowers, and alt., opp. or sub-verticellate 



eaves with stipulary hairs. Bract eoles or sepals 2. Tepals 



4-6 perigynous. St. 8-12. Ovary with 3-8-fid style. Seeds 



many. Fruit a pyxidium. 56. Portulacace® (p. 378). 



The Bougainvillea Family. 



Herbs or shrubs often with swollen nodes and opp. leaves. Perianth 

 single often brightly-coloured, e.g., Mirabilis or Marvel of Peru, which is 

 semi-naturalized in parts, gamophyllous, more or less. persistent in fruit. 

 Carpel 1. Ovule 1. 



Boerhaavia repens, L. A herb with minute pink capitate flowers ie 

 used as a sag. (Family not further dealt with). 



Nyctaginaceae. 



57. The Amaranth Family. 



Herbs or undershrubs (sub-scandent shrub in Deeringia) 

 with alt. or opp. leaves and rigid or scarious flowers in spikes 

 or fascicles with scarious brads and bracteoles. Tepals 5-4 

 free or only slightly connate. St. isomerous opp. the tepals 

 connate into a short tube at the base, sometimes alternating 

 with staminodes, hypogynous. Fruit a utricle of 2-3 carpe' j 

 with 1 seed (several-seeded berry in Deeringia). Rudimentary 

 flowers, sometimes awn-like, are present in some genera. 



57. Amarantaceae (p. 378). 



58. The Beet Family. 



Herbs, sometimes climbing (Basella) and usually fleshy 

 with alternate leaves. Perianth tepaloid fleshy and enclosing 



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