MONOCOTYLEDONES 199 



fleshy and indehiscent, 1 — 3-celled. Seeds albummous ; emhryo 

 small, in a cavity in the albumen. 



Distribution and Numhers. — Chiefly tropical plants. 

 Tamus co^nmunis is, however, found in Britain and other 

 temperate regions. Illustrative Genera: — Tamus, Linn.; 

 Dioscorea, Linn. There are above 150 species. 



Properties and Uses. — The plants generally contain an acrid 

 prmciple. The tuberous rootstocks of many species oi Dioscorea 

 are, however, when boiled, used for food in tropical countries. 



Series 3. — Coronarice. 



Order 14. Eoxburghiace^, the Eoxburghia Order.— Cha- 

 racter. — Twining shrubs with tuberous roots. Leaves net- 

 veined, leathery, broad. Floivers large and showy, solitary, 

 hermaphrodite. Perianth inferior, with 4 petaloid divisions. 

 Stamens 4, hypogynous, with enlarged connectives; anthers 

 introrse, apicilar. Ovary superior, 1-celled, with a basal pla- 

 centa ; stigma ?,esQ\].e. i^rza^ 2-valved, 1-celled. Seeds nume- 

 rous, in 2 stalked clusters, anatropous ; embryo in the axis of 

 fleshy albumen. 



Distribution, Numbers, and Properties. — They are natives 

 of the hotter parts of the East Indies. There is but one genus, 

 Eoxburghia, Dryand., which includes 4 species. Their proper- 

 ties are unimportant. 



Order 15. LiliacevE, the Lily Order.— Character.— IZ'er6s, 

 shrubs, or trees, with bulbs, rhizomes, tubers, or fibrous roots. 

 Stem simple or branched. Leaves with parallel or rarely 

 reticulated veins, sessile or sheathing, sometimes succulent. 

 Flowers regular, variously arranged or solitary. Perianth 

 green or petaloid, inferior, usually regular and 6-leaved or 6- 

 partite. Stamens 6, or rarely more, or 3 in Buscus, inserted on 

 the perianth, or rarely on the thalamus : anthers introrse. 

 Ovary superior, 3-celled, or very rarely 4 — 6-celled, with nu- 

 merous ovules on axile placentas ; style 1, or very rarely 3 or 

 more, or absent; stigma generally simple or 3-lobed. Fruit a 

 loculicidal capsule, or succulent and indehi scent, usually 3- 

 celled. Seeds with fleshy albumen, numerous. 



Diagnosis. — Leaves with usually parallel straight veins, or 

 succulent. Perianth inferior, generally 6-leaved or G-partite, 

 and regular. Stamens 6, or rarely more, or 3 in Buscus ; 

 anthers introrse. Ovarj'^ superior, with axile placentation : style 

 1, usually undivided, or very rarely divided, and sometimes 



