AMARANTACEX.—CHENOPODIACE. 649 
Distribution and Nunbers.—Natives exclusively of warm 
regions. Illustrative Genera :—Mirabilis, Linn.; Pisonia, Plium. 
There are about 100 species. 
Properties and Uses.—Chiefly remarkable for the presence of 
a purgative property in their roots; which is especially the case 
with those of Mirabilis Jalapa and M. longiflora. M. dicho- 
toma, Marvel of Peru, is commonly known by the name of the 
Four-o’clock Plant, from opening its flowers in the afternoon. 
Boerhaavia diffusa is said to possess expectorant properties. 
Order 2. AMARANTACE®, the Amaranth Order.—C harac- 
ter.—Herbs or shrubs. Leaves simple, exstipulate, opposite or 
alternate. Flowers crowded, spiked or capitate, bracteated, 
hermaphrodite or occasionally unisexual. Calyx of 3—5 sepals, 
dry and scarious, inferior, persistent, often coloured, imbricate. 
Stamens 5, hypogynous and opposite to the sepals, or a multiple 
of that number; anthers 2- or 1-celled. Ovary free, 1-celled, 
with 1 or more ovules; style 1 or none; stigma simple or 
compound. fruit a utricle or caryopsis, or sometimes baccate. 
Seeds 1 or more, pendulous; embryo curved round mealy albu- 
men; radicle next the hilum. 
Distribution and Numbers.—The plants of this order are 
most abundant in tropical regions ; and are altogether unknown 
in the coldest climates. Tllustrative Genera:—Celosia, Lin. ; 
Amarantus, Linn. There are nearly 500 species. 
Properties and Uses.—Unimportant. Amarantus spinosus and 
other Indian species possess mucilaginous properties. Another 
Indian species, Achyranthes aspera, is also reputed to be astrin- 
gent and diuretic. Gomplhrena officinalis and G. macrocephala 
are used in Brazil in intermittent fevers, diarrhoea, and some 
other diseases. Some of the species have bright-coloured persis- 
tent flowers, and are hence cultivated in our gardens, as Amaran- 
tus caudatus, Love-lies-bleeding ; Amarantus hypochondriacus, 
Prince’s-feathers ; Celosia cristata, Cockscomb ; and others. 
Order 3. CHENOPODIACE®, the Goosefoot Order.—Charac- 
ter.— Herbs or wndershrubs, more or less succulent. Leaves 
exstipulate, usually alternate, rarely opposite. Flowers minute, 
greenish, usually ebracteated, hermaphrodite or unisexual. 
Calyx persistent (fig. 696), usually divided nearly to the base 
(fig. 29), imbricate. Stamens equal in number to the lobes 
of the calyx and opposite to them (fig. 29), or rarely fewer, 
hypogynous or inserted into the base of the lobes; anthers 2- 
celled. Ovary superior (fig. 29) or partly inferior, 1-celled, 
with a single ovule attached to its base; style (jig. 29) usually 
in 2—4 divisions, rarely simple. Fruit usually an achenium or 
utricle (fig. 696), or sometimes baccate. Seed solitary; embryo 
coiled into a ring or spiral, with or without albumen ; radicle 
towards the hilum. 
