692 SYSTEMATIC BOTANY. 



sheathing, imbricated, and spirally arranged in 3 rows, simple or 

 pinnate. Flowers unisexual or polygamous, numerous, arranged 

 on a spadix, with numerous spathaceous bracts. Pericmtk 

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

 Ovaries 1 -celled; ovicles solitary or numerous, on parietal pla- 

 centas. Fruit consisting of a number of 1 -seeded fibrous drupes ; 

 or of many-celled many-seeded berries. Embryo minute, solid, 

 ab the base of fleshy albumen. 



Distribution, cfc. — Exclusively tropical plants. Examples of 

 the Genera: — Pandanus, Carludovica, Cyclanthus. There are 

 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 

 young unexpanded leaves of Carludovica palmata furnish the 

 material employed in the manufncture of Panama hats. 



Natural Order 274. Typhace^. — The Bulrush Order. — 

 Character. — Herbs growing in watery places. Leaves v'l^id, 

 linear, sessile, parallel-veined. Fhmers monoecious, arranged on 

 a spadix or in heads, without a spathe. No true perianth, 

 merely scales or hairs. Male flower with 1 — 6 distinct or 

 monadelphous stamens, with long filaments, and innate anthers. 

 Female flower a solitary 1 -celled ovary, with a single pendulous 

 ovule. Fruit indehiscent. Seed with mealy albumen ; embryo 

 axial, with a cleft on the side; radicle next the hilum. 



Distribution, ^-c. — A few are found in tropical and warm 

 climates, but they are most abundant in the northern parts of 

 the world. Examples of the Genera: — Typha, Sparganium. 

 These are the only genera, which include about 13 species. 



Properties and Uses. — Unimportant. 



TypJia.— The young shoots of T. latifolia and T. angustifolia are some- 

 times boiled, and eaten like Asparagus ; their rhizomes are also edible ; their 

 pollen is inflammable. The poUi n of some species of Typha is edible ; thus, 

 that of T. elephantiiia is made into a kind of bread in Scinde, and that of 

 T. utilis in New Zealand. Some species are said to be astringent and 

 diuretic. 



Natural Order 275. ARACEiE. — The Arum Order (flgs. 1065 

 -1C68). — Character. — Herbs or shrubs with an acrid juice, 

 and subterranean tubers, corms, or rhizomes (flff. 1065). Leaves 

 sheathing (/^. 1065, /), usually net-veined, simple or rarely com- 

 pound. Flowers monoecious, arranged' on a spadix (flgs. 377 and 

 1066) within a spathe (fly. 377). Perianth none '{fly. 1066). 

 Male flower : — Stamens few or numerous; anthers extrorse {fly. 

 487), sessile {fly. 487) or upon very short filaments. Female 

 flower: — Ovary {fly. 1067) 1-celled, or rarely 3 or more celled. 

 Fruit succulent {fly. 1065, c). Seeds-^wl^y, with mealy or fleshy 

 albumen {fly. 1068), or rarely exalbnminous ; embryo axial, slit 

 on one side. (See Orontiacece.) 



