694 



PHYTOLACCACE-fi. (POKEWEED FAMILY.) 



^ • Order LXXXIV. PHYTOLACCACE.E, Eudl. 

 (Poke WEED Family). . 



Perennial herbs with alternate^ entire leaves, and ^per- 

 fect or dkecioits flowers, a jpetaloid, 4.-h-j)aried calyx im- 

 hricated in the hud, stamens inserted on a dish at the bottom 

 of the calyx, an ovary (in ours) composed of numerous, 

 l-ovuled cells, (ours J united in a ring, and forming a berry 

 hi fruit — Stamens as many as lobes of calyx, alternate with 

 them, or more numerous, free or united at base in a cup. 

 Ovule erect, implanted by base, (in ours) campylotropous. 

 Styles as many as cells of ovary, simple. Radicle inferior. 

 A-lbumen meal}^, central, rarely 0. 



Fig. 319. 



(a) Brand! ofp. decandra, with leaves and flowers (one-third size). (^) Fruiting branch 

 (one-third size), (c) A single flower (enlarged), (rf) A ripe fruit (natural size), (c) Trans. 

 verse section of same. (/) A seed magnified. («■) A transverse section of the same, (h) \er. 

 tical section of the same, showing the peripheral embryo and central albumen, (i) The 

 embryo. 



P1IYTOI.ACCA, L. PoKEWEED. 



Flow(irs perfect or dioecious, tribracteate. Calyx 5-parted into 

 petaloid, imbricated, equal lobes, reflexed in fruit. Stamens 5-25, 

 filaments subulate, anthers 2-celled. Carpels 5-12, sessile in a hollow 



