624 SYNOPTICAL KEf 



96 Liliaceae Stems from bulbs, corms or rhizomes: anthers 2-celled: 

 fruit a loculicidal or septicidal capsule: embryo in copious albumen. 



97 Convalariaceae Leafy-stemmed herbs from rootstocks: anthers 

 2-celled : fruit a fleshy berry : embryo small in copious albumen. 



98 Melanthaceae Leafy-stemmed plants with rootstocks or bulbs: anth" 

 era 2-celled : fruit a 3-celled septicidal or loculicidal capsule : seeds 

 usually with tails or appendages. 



99 Pontederiaceae Herbaceous aquatic plants with spathaceous tubular 

 flowers: ours with grass-like leaves, solitary axillary flowers and 

 1-celled 3-valved capsules. 



100 Araceae Ours acaulescent herbs with the flowers crowded upon a 

 spadix with 4-lobed perianth, 4 stamens, 2-celled anthers and 2-celled 

 2-ovuled ovaries which become fleshy and coalescent in fruit. 



* * Aquatic herbs : perianth none : ovary 1-celled, utricular or nut- 

 like in fruit: seeds with albumen. 



101 Typhaceae Stems solid, terete, with linear leaves and creeping root- 

 stock : flowers monoecious, in heads or crowded upon a spadix. 



102 Lemnaceaa Very small stemless floating plants with disk-like 

 fronds and inconspicuous flowers. 



* * * Aquatic or marsh plants: perianth herbaceous or petal-like 

 or none : carpels 1 -several, distinct or separable : seeds without albumen. 



103 Yalisneriaceae Flowers axillary and mostly solitary, with tubular 

 perianth : fruit indehiscent. 



104 Naiadaceae Perianth of fertile flowers of 4 herbaceous valvate sepals 

 or none : carpels 1-6, 1-ovuled. 



105 Scheuchzeriaceae Perianth of 4-6 segments in 2 series: carpels 

 3-6, 1-2-ovuled. 



106 Alismaceae Peri anth -segments 6, distinct, 3 herbaceous 3 petal-like : 

 carpels numerous, verticillate or capitate, becoming achenes. 



* * * * Perianth of 6 equal persistent glumaceous segments ; fruit 

 a capsule. 



107 Jnncaceae Flowers perfect: capsule loculicidally 3-valved: seeds 

 with albumen. 



***** Flowers in the axils of scales or glumes, without evident 

 perianth: stamens 1-3: ovary l^celled, l-ovuled: seeds with albumen. 



108 Cyperaceae Stems solid, often triangular, with closed sheaths: 

 glume single; perianth represented by bristles, or wanting: anthers 

 attached by the base : fruit a spike of lenticular or triangular achenes. 



109 Gramineae Stems hollow, terete : sheaths split to the base : glumes 

 in pairs: peiianth represented by minute scales or none: anthers 

 versatile : fruit a caryopsis or grain. 



ORDER XCIII ORCHIDACE^ Lindl. Nat. Syst. ed. 2, 336. 



Perennial herbs with parallel- veined flat leaves and perfect 

 irregular flowers in racemes or spikes, or solitary and terminal. 

 Perianth superior, of 6 segments, the 3 outer similar or nearly 

 so, 2 of the inner similar, the third inner one, called the lip, 

 diss imilar often markedly so , usually larger. Stamens coherent 

 wit the style, forming an unsymmetrical column, with usually 





