BOTANY. 109 



Tribe 4. PhytolaccecB. Testa of crustaceous grains. Plants seldom extra- 

 tropical. Examples : Phytolacca, Ercilla, Giesekia, Microtea, &c. The 

 most important North American plant of this family is Phytolacca decandra 

 or Pokeberry. The young shoots arc boiled as greens, and the rich purple 

 juice of the berries has been used as red inV, and also in the coloration of 

 Avines. The ashes of the young plants contain a large amount of potash. 



Order 76. Chenopodiace.k or Antripl'ices, the Goosefoot Family. 

 Perianth deeply divided, sometimes tubular at tlie base, persistent Avithout 

 bracts ; osstivation imbricate. Stamens inserted into the base of the perianth 

 , or hypogynous, opposite to its segments, and equal to them in number, or 

 fewer. Ovary single, superior, or sometimes cohering to the tube of the 

 perianth, one-celled ; ovule solitary, attached to the base of the cell ; style 

 two- to four-divided ; stigmas simple. Fruit membranous, indehiscent, in- 

 closed in the calyx, sometimes fleshy. Seed erect or resupinate ; embryo 

 curved, round farinaceous albumen ; often like a horse-shoe, or spiral, or 

 doubled together without albumen ; radicle next the hilum. Herbs or under- 

 shrubs, with alternate, sometimes opposite, exstipulate leaves, and hermaphro- 

 dite or unisexual flowers. They are found in almost all parts of the world, 

 but do not abound in the tropics. Most of the plants are inconspicuous Aveeds. 

 There are sixty-seven known genera, and 372 species. 



Moquin Tandon has divided this family into seven tribes arranged under 

 two sub-orders, the first, with the embryo curved round the albumen (Cyclolo- 

 beae) ; the other Avith a spiral embryo and no albumen (Spirolobeae). 



A CyclolohecB. 



Tribe 1. AnserinecE. Stem unjointed, with membranous flat leaves. 

 Flowers hermaphrodite, all of the same form. Pericarp free. Seed with two 

 integuments, the outer usually crustaceous. Examples : Chenopodium, Beta, 

 Ambrina, Blitum, (fcc. 



Tribe 2. SpitiaciefB. Stem like the last. FloAvers polygamous or 

 diclinous ; males diö"erent from the females, or the calyx often reduced to 

 two valves with the fruit compressed, most often free. Seed with a single or 

 double integument. Examples : Atriplex, Spinacia, Obione, Acnida, &.c. 



Tribe 3. Camphorosmeoi. Stem and leaves generally like the last, the 

 leaves rarely fleshy and semicylindrical. Flowers hermaphrodite or poly- 

 gamous. Pericarp free. Tegument of the seed simple. Examples : Kochia, 

 Camphorosma, &c. 



Tribe 4. Corispei'inecc. Stem unjointed, Avith coriaceous, flat, linear leaA^es. 

 FloAvers hermaphrodite, all of the same form. Pericarp adherent. Seed 

 embraced by a simple integument Avhich is compounded Avith the pericarp. 

 Examples : Anthochlamys, Corispermum. 



Tribe 5. Salicorniea:. Stem jointed, often leafless. FloAvers hermaphro- 

 dite, all of the same form, lodged in cavities of the rachis or in the articula- 

 tions. Pericarp free or adherent. Seed Avith one or two integuments. 

 Example : Salicornia. 



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