109. CHENOPODIACE^. [1. Chknopodium. 



persistent, often accrescent, of 3-5 free or connate tepals, imbricate 

 in bud. Stamens usually one opposite each tepal in the male or 5, 

 or sometimes fewer, hypogynous or perigynous, free or connate at 

 the base, anthers 2-celled. Ovarj^ 1 -celled usually produced into a 

 stjde with generally 2, more rarely 3-4, very seldom 5, stigmas which 

 are usually narrow, seldom capitate. Ovule 1 camplotropous, with 

 1-2 integuments on a long or short basal funicle. Fruit usually a 

 utricle, often enclosed in the enlarged sometimes fleshy perianth. 

 Seed horizontal or vertical with coriaceous, crustaceous or membranous 

 testa. Albumen floury, fleshy or 0. Embryo curved, annular or 

 spiral. 



Especially characteristic of desert or saline veg'etation and often covered with 

 silvery scales, hut not well represented in our province. 

 I. Stem not twining-. Bracteoles free from the perianth : — 



A. Stem not or not very fleshy. Leaves fiat ; — 



1. Flowers clustered, all similar : — 



Perianth 5-partite, not thickened at hase . . .1. Cheiiopodium. 

 Perianth 5-lobed, base thickened fleshy . . . , 



2. Flowei'S dimoi-phic. M. ebracteolate, 3-5-merous. Fem 



enclosed in a pair of bracts usually without peri 



anth : — 

 Fem. fl. enclosed in a pair of bracts. Perianth . 

 Fem. fl. ebracteate. Perianth 3-4-toothed 



B. Stems fleshy or woody, leaves 0, or subterete and fleshy 



Flowers very minute : — 

 Flowers immersed in the fleshy jointed stem or spike 

 Stem not jointed. Fls. axillary .... 

 II. Stem twining. Bracteoles 2 broad adnate to the perianth 



2. Beta. 



3. Atrivlex. 



4. Spinacia. 



5. Salicornia. 



6. Suaeda. 



7. Basella. 



1. CHENOPODIUM, L. 



Herbs with angled stems and alternate, entire lobed or toothed 

 leaves, sometimes strong-smelling. Flowers very small, 2 -sexual, in 

 axillary clusters, spikes or cymes. Tepals 3-5. Stamens 1-5, 

 hypogynous or subperigynous, free or connate below. Disc 0. Ovary 

 free, depressed or compressed with 2-3 styles or stigmas. Utricle 

 membranous, included in the scarcely altered perianth. Seed hori- 

 zontal or vertical with crustaceous testa and floury albumen. Embryo 

 annular. 

 Glabrous or with scurfy scales. Spikes dense axillary and in 



terminal thyrses. Stigmas 2 1. album. 



Aromatic glandular. Spikes slender leafy. Stigmas 3 . . 2. ambrosioides. 



1. C. album, L. Betua-sag, Vern. ; Bhatua-arak', *S'. ; Khartua-sag, 

 H. 

 An erect or ascending herb 1-3 ft. high, green or in our area covered 

 with minute scurfy scales. Leaves very variable, sometimes all 

 under I" long, more or less oblong-lanceolate or rhombic-lanceolate; 

 in some cultivated forms the lower ones attain 4-6" long and rhombic 

 deltoid or lanceolate, usually more or less toothed or lobulate, often 

 irregularly. Petiole slender and generally as long as the blade. 

 Flowers •04--05" diam. in short axillary spikes and often forming 

 also a terminal thyrse, mealy in our specimens. Tepals only slightly 

 keeled, nearly covering the utricle. Seed black depressed with an 

 obscure horizontal keel. 



769 



