DICOTYLEDONES— CALYCIFLOE.E 353 



numerous, or rarely solitary ; embryo flat, without albumen ; 

 cotyledons leafy ; radicle towards the hilum. 



Diagnosis. — Herbs, usually of a succulent nature, prostrate 

 or climbing. Leaves rough, alternate, radiate-veined, exstipu- 

 late. Flowers unisexual. Calj^x 5-toothed or obsolete, superior 

 in the female flowers. Corolla perigynous. Male flower with 

 usually 5 stamens, which are distinct, monadelphous, or tria- 

 delphons, and epipetalous ; rarely there are but 2 or 3 stamens ; 

 anthers long and usually sinuous or sometimes straight. Female 

 flower :— Ovary inferior, with parietal placentas; style short; 

 stigmas more or less dilated. Fruit succulent. Seeds flat, 

 generally numerous, exalbuminous, cotyledons leafy. 



Division of the Order a^id Illustrative Genera. — The Cucur- 

 bitaceae have been divided by Bentham and Hooker as follows : — 



Series 1. Plagiosperme.e. — Ovules horizontal. Illustrative 

 Genus : — Bryonia, Linn. 



Series 2. Orthosperme^. — Ovules erect or ascending. Illustra- 

 tive Ge7ius : — Trianosperma, Torr. et Gr. 



Series 3. Cremosperme^. — Ovules pendulous. Illustrative 

 Genera : — Sicyos, Linn. ; Sechium, P. Br. 



Distribution and Numbers. — Natives j)i'incipall3^ of l^ot 

 climates in almost every part of the world, but especially abun- 

 dant in the East Indies. One species only, Bryonia dioica, 

 occurs in the British Islands. There are about 3G0 species. 



Projyerties and Uses. — An acrid bitter purgative property is 

 the chief characteristic of the plants of this order ; this is 

 possessed more or less by all parts of the plant, but it is 

 especially evident in the pulp surrounding the seeds ; the seeds 

 themselves are, however, usually harmless. In some plants 

 this acridity is so concentrated that they become poisonous ; 

 while in other cases, and especially from cultivation, it is so 

 diffused that their fruit is edible. 



Order 154. Begoniace^e, the Begonia Order. — Character.— 

 Herbs, or low succulent shrubs. Leaves alternate, very miequal- 

 sided at the base, with large membranous stipules. Flowers uni- 

 sexual. Perianth coloured. Male flower with 4 j^erianth-leaves, 

 2 of which are smaller than the others, and decussating with 

 them, are placed internally to them. Stamens numerous, distinct 

 or united by their filaments into a column ; anthers 2-ceUed, 

 clavate, with longitudinal dehiscence, clustered. Female floiver 

 with 5 or 8 perianth-leaves. Ovary inferior, winged, 3-celled, 

 with three large projecting placentas, meetmg in the axis ; 



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