PETALOIDE^. 



687 



Flowering Rush Order {Jigs. 1062 and 1063). — Aquatic 



plants -with parallel- veined 

 y. leaves, sometimes milky. Fig. 1062. Fig.lQ^^. 



I Flowers perfect {figs. 575, 



621, and 1062), showy. 



Perianth inferior, of six 



pieces, arranged in two 



whorls {fig 1062J, the 



inner being coloured. Sta- 

 mens few {fig. 1062) or 



numerous. Ovaries supe- 

 rior {fig. 1062), 3—6 {fig. 



575), or more; more or less 



distinct : ovules numerous, 



arranged all over the inner p% lO'^s. :a flower of the Flowering Rush 



„ » , • / /? {Butomus umbellatus), with a 6-partite inferior 



SUrraCe or tne ovaries {Jig. perianth, arranged in two whorls ; nine sta- 



621). jP/-«?7 many-seeded, mens; and six carpels. i^i^. 1063. Vertical 



■' . "^1 section ol the seed ot the same. 



separating more or less 



into as many parts as there are component carpels {fig, 577). 



Seeds without albumen {fig. 1063). 



Distribution, ^c. — A few occur in tropical countries, but the 

 mass of the order inhabit the northern parts of the world. 

 Examples : — Butomus, Lymnocharis. There are 4 genera, and 

 7 species. 



Properties and Uses. — Of little importance. Butomus um- 

 bellatus, the Flowering Rush, possesses acrid and bitter pro- 

 perties, and was at one time used in medicine. The roasted 

 rhizome is edible. 



3. Diclines. 



Natural Order 273. Pandanace^. — The Screw-pine Order. 

 — Palm-like trees {fig. 178, 2), or shrubs. Leaves sheathing, 

 imbricated, and spirally arranged in 3 rows, simple or pinnate. 

 Flowers unisexual or polygamous, numerous, arranged 

 on a spadix, with numerous spathaceous bracts. Perianth 

 absent, or scaly. Statnens numerous ; anthers 2 — 4-celled. 

 Ovaries 1-celled ; ovules solitary or numerous, on parietal 

 placentas. Fruit consisting of a number of 1- seeded fibrous 

 drupes ; or of many-celled, many-seeded berries. Embryo 

 minute, sohd, at the base of fleshy albumen. 



Distributiun, ^c. — Exclusively tropical plants. Examples : — 

 Pandanus, Carludovica, Nipa, Cyclauthus. There are 24 

 genera, and about 75 species. 



Properties and Uses. — None possess any very active properties. 

 Pandanus has edible seeds. The juice which flows from the 

 wounded spadices of Nipa, when fermented, furnishes a kind of 

 wine. The fruit of Nipa fruticans is the Atap of India. The 



