MONOCHLAMTDEiE. 641 



temate, simple, leathery, with deciduous stipules. Flowers 

 minute, unisexual, in scaly spikes. Calyx 2 — 5-partite. Males 

 consisting of 2 or more stamens on an enlarged thalamus ; 

 anthers usually 2-lobed, with a fleshy connective, and dehiscing 

 transversely at the apex. Females with a superior, 1 — 2-celled 

 ovary, each with 2 suspended ovules. Fruit drupaceous. Seeds 

 suspended, albuminous ; embryo straight, with leafy cotyledons, 

 and a superior radicle. 



Distribution, ^c. — Natives of Madagascar and the East Indies. 

 Examples: — Antidesma, Stilago, Falconeria. There are 5 genera, 

 and about 20 species. 



Properties and Uses. — Unimportant. Their fruits are com- 

 monly' sub-acid and edible. Xo injurious properties are known 

 to exist in the plants of this order. 



Natural Order 216. — Ceratophtllace^. — The Homwort 

 Order. — Aquatic herbs. Leaves verticillate. Flowers minute, 

 axillary, sessile, monoecious. Calyx or involucre inferior, 8 — 

 12-partite. Male flower consisting of 12 — 20 stamens, with- 

 out filaments; anthers 2-celled. Female flower with a supe- 

 rior 1 -celled ovary, and 1 pendulous ovule. Fruit nut-like, 

 indehiscent. Seed exalbuminous ; pendulous ; embryo with 2 

 pairs of cotyledons, and a large many-leaved plumule; radicle 

 inferior. 



Distribution, §*c. — Natives of the northern hemisphere. 

 Ceratophyllum is the only genus, which includes, according to 

 Chamisso, 6 species; Init according to Schleiden, there is but one. 

 Their properties and uses ai*e unknown. 



Natural Order 217. — Callitrichace^. — The Starwort 

 Order. — Small aquatic herbs. Leaves opposite, entire, sim- 

 ple. Flowers minute, axillary, solitary, unisexual, achlamy- 

 deous. Male flower of 1 — 2 stamens, anthers reniform. Female 

 flower with a 4- cornered, 4-celled ovary, with 1 suspended 

 ovule in each cell. Fruit indehiscent, 4-celled. Seeds 4, peltate, 

 with fleshy albumen ; embryo inverted, with a very long superior 

 radicle. 



Distribution, Sfc. — Natives of fresh- water pools, in Europe 

 and North America. Callitriche is the only genus, and includes 

 6 species. Their uses are unknown. 



Natural Order 218. Euphorbiace^. — The Spurgewort 

 Order.— General Character. — Trees, shrubs, or herbs, usually 

 with an acrid milky juice. Leaves alternate or opposite, simple 

 {figs. 311), or rarely compound, and with or without stipules. 

 P/oM'er^ unisexual, {figs. 511, 539, 612 and 1011), monoecious 

 (Jig. 1011) or dioecious, axillary or terminal, sometimes enclosed 

 in a calyx-like involucre {fig. 1011, i), achlamydeous {figs. 511 

 and 612); or with a lobed {fi.gs. 539. 627 c) inferior calyx, having 

 on its inside glandular or scaly appendages {figs. 627, t, and 

 1011, b), or even evident petals {figs. 539,/), and 627 p), which 



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