400 I(S4. CYNOMdKIA'.I'AE — 1S5. ARAL I AC EAR 



SrP,()RI)i:iv CVNOMOKIINICAK 

 FAMILY 184. CYNOMORIACEAE 



Kcddisli-brown, llcshy herbs, parasitic upon roots. Loaves scale-like. 

 Flowers in terminal spadices, polygamous. Perianth of 1-5 narrow seg- 

 ments. Stamen i. Anther versatile, turned inwards, 2-celled. Ovary inferior, 

 i-celled. ()\'ulc i, })endulous, ahnost straight. Style simple; stigma entire. 

 Fruit a nut. Seed albuminous ; embryo small, without cotyledons. 



Genus i, species i. North .Africa. Used medicinall\-. Cynomorium Mich. 



ORDER UMBELLIFLORAE 



FAMILY 185. ARALIACEAE 



Shrubs or trees. Leaves usually stipulate. Inflorescence composed of 

 umbels, racemes, heads, or spikes. Flowers 4 — lO-merous. Calyx entire 

 or shortl}' toothed, imbricate or open in bud. Petals free, valvate in bud, 

 or united into a cap. Stamens as many as petals or more. Anthers versatile, 

 (jpening by two longitudinal slits. Ovary inferior or half-inferior, crowned by a 

 disc (stylopod), 2- or more-celled, rarely (Polyscias) i-celled. Ovules solitary 

 in each cell, pendulous, inverted, with ventral raphe. F'ruit indehiscent. 

 Seeds albuminous. — (^enera 8, species 75. (Plate 118.) 



1. Stem climbing by means of small aerial roots. Leaves entire or lobed, 



without stipules. Flowers in umbels. 5-merous ; pedicels not jointed. 

 Stamens 5. Ovary 5-celled ; style simple. Fruit a berry ; endocarp 

 membranous. Seeds witli ruminate albumen. — Species i {H. Helix L., 

 ivy). North Africa. I'sed as ornamental and medicinal plants ; the 



fruits are poisonous Hedera L. 



Stem without adhesive roots. Leaves pinnate or digitate, rarely undivided 

 or lobed, but then ovary 2 — 4-celled and style 2 — 4-parted. Fruit a 

 drupe or a nut ; endocarp leathery, crustaceous, cartilaginous, or 

 bony 2 



2. Leaves undivided, lobed, or digitate. Stipules usually distinctly devel- 



oped. Pedicels not jointed 3 



Leaves pinnate. Stipules indistinctly developed or wanting. Seeds with 

 uniform albumen 5 



3. Ovary 2-, rarely 3 — 4-celled. Styles short, free or united below. Stylopod 



convex or conical. Petals 5, free. Stamens 5. L^ndocarp crustaceous. 

 Albumen usually ruminate. Flowers in spikes or racemes, rarely in 

 umbels. . — Species 25. Tropical and South Africa. (Including Sec- 

 mannaralia Viguier). (Plate 118.) .... Cussonia Thunb. 

 Ovary 5 — 15-celled. Petals 5 — 15, usually united in the shape of a cap. 

 Albumen uniform. Flowers in umbels or heads, rarely in racemes. 

 Leaves digitate 4 



4. Stamens as many as the petals. — Species 13. Tropics. (Including 



Asiropanax Seem., Hepiapletirum Gaertn., and Sciadophyllwn P. Browne) 



Schefflera Forst. 



