CHENOPODIACEiE 297 



are usually small, greenish, and bractless (Sarcobatus, grease- 

 wood), or bracteolate (Beta). They are perfect {Beta), pis- 

 tillate (Kochia), polygamous {Kochia), monoecious (Sar- 

 cobatus), or dioecious {Atriplex spp.) They are usually regu- 

 lar. There are no petals. The calyx is three- to five-lobed 

 or parted, rarely of one sepal (Mowo/e/jw), or is entirely want- 

 ing in the pistillate flowers of some genera {Atriplex). The 

 calyx is persistent in the fruit. There are usually as many 

 stamens as lobes of the perianth, rarely fewer 

 {Chenopodium spp.); the filaments are com- 

 monly slender and bear longitudinally dehis- 

 cent, two-celled anthers. The ovary is 

 superior, free from the calyx and one-celled; 

 the styles are terminal, short or elongated, 

 one to three in number, and bear capitate 

 stigmas. It has a single, erect ovule. 



Fruit. — The mature /rw^V is a utricle (one- Fig. 117.—^, 

 seeded fruit with a loose pericarp) with mem- sarc^obl'Tif^ b, 

 branous, leathery, or thin pericarp. The annular embryo 

 seeds may possess an abundance of endo- 

 sperm {Beta, Eurotia, etc.), or none {Sarcobatus, Salsola); 

 the embryo is spirally coiled (Fig. 117) {Salsola), annular 

 {Beta), or conduplicate {Salicornia). 



Key to Principal Genera 



Embryo spirally coiled (Fig. 117); endosperm little or none. 

 Shrubs, Sarcobatus (greasewood). 

 Herbs, Salsola (Russian thistle). 

 Embryo not spirally coiled, partly or completely annular (Fig. 117); 

 endosperm abundant. 

 Flowers perfect (polygamous in Kochia). 

 Calyx with five lobes, about the base of which is developed a wing, Kochia. 

 Calyx wingless, persistent. 

 Lobes of calyx becoming fleshy and bright red, Blitum (strawberry 

 blite). 



