350 CXY. PIPET^ACE.K. 



spikes) imbricated with obloug, sessile bracts. Stamens 2-5, 

 Avitli terete filaments, and ovate or cordate-reniform, 2-celled 

 anthers. — Female : l^racts peltate, persistent, subsessile, ob- 

 loug or orbicular, often hairy beneath. Ovary sessile, ovate ; 

 stigmas 3-5, sessile, thick, short or shortly lanceolate, recurved, 

 hispid above. Berry constricted at base, falsely pedicellate, 

 subglobosc ; pericarp thin. — EnJl. Gen. Suppl. iv. p. IG ; 3Ii^. 

 Pip. p. 2S5. 



Climbing shrubs or sxiiall trees, gro\Ying in woods. Leaves petioled, 3- 

 or manA'-nerved or ribbed, membranous or coriaceous, glabrous or pubes- 

 cent, those of each sex often ditfering. Spikes opposite the leaves ; the 

 male slender, the female thicker and slightly curved. — C. Capensis, Miq., 

 the only species, was sent by Yerreaux to Herb. Delessert : no habitat 

 given. 



3. PEPEROMIA, Euiz and Pav. 

 Flowers hermaphrodite, in dense or lax spikes. Bract peltate, 

 petioled or subsessile, persistent or deciduous. Stamens 2, 

 lateral, free. Ovary ovate or oblong, sessile or half-sunk in 

 the rachis ; stigma undivided, sessile, deciduous, penicillate. 

 Berry sessile, nearly dry, obliquely ovate or subglobose. — 

 Midi. Gen. Suppl. iv. p. 15 ; Miq. Fip, ^.63. 



Herbs, chiefly tropical, erect or creeping, succulent. Leaves opposite, 

 whorled or alternate, mostly petioled. Spikes axillary or opposite the 

 leaves. — 1 or 2 small Cape species, found in very shady, damp places. 



Oeder CXYI. PODOSTEMACE^. 



Flowers inconspicuous, naked or bursting through a spathe 

 or with imperfect perianth, or with 3 sepals. Stamen 1 or 0, 

 hypogynous, distinct or monadelphous, sometimes unilateral. 

 Ovary 1-3-celled, with numerous ascending anatropous ovuleB 

 attached to a fleshy axile or parietal placenta; style 0; 

 stigmas 1-3. Fruit ribbed, capsular, of 2-3 deciduous valves. 

 Seeds numerous, minute, exalbuminous. — Branched herbs or 

 foliaceous expansions, attached to stones in rivulets, always 

 more or less submerged, often resembling cryptogamous 

 plants. Flowers inconspicuous, sessile or pedicelled, axillary 

 or terminal. 



Flowers dia?cious. Perianth 1. Htdeostachys. 



Flowers hermaphrodite. 



Stamens 2, monadelphous. Perianth a spathe . 3. Sphjsrothylax. 



Stamen solitary. Perianth 3-parted 3. Tkisticha. 



1. HYDROSTACHYS, Petit Thenars. 



Flowers dioecious, sessile in the axils of imbricating bracts.- 

 Perianth 0. — Male : Stamen 1 j 11 laments forked, each fork 



