CXXXV. SMILACE^. 407 



SMILAX, Li 



Flowers dioecious. Periiiiith G-parted, sj)readiii<j;, deciduous ; 

 segments spreading, 1-nerved, outer mostly larger. Stamens 

 subhypogynous, club-shaped, shorter than the sepals ; anthers 

 1-locular, 2-loeellate, basifixed, continuous with the filament, at 

 length recurved. Ovary 3-(rarely l-0-)celled ; absent in the 

 male flowers; ovules solitary; stigmas 3 (rarely 4-6), sessile, 

 elongate, recurved, deciduous. Berry globose, 1-3-celled, 

 1-3-seeded. Seeds subglobose. — Kunth, I.e. iJ. IGO. 



Climbing, evergreen undei'slirubs ; roots tuberous or fibrous. Stems 

 mostly prickly, branches flexuous, angular. Leaves scattered, petioled, 

 often cordate or hastate, reticulated, digitate-nerved ; petioles mostly bearing 

 2 tendrils above the sheathing base. Flowers in axillary or racemose 

 umbels, small, white or green. — 1 or 2 species, in the Eastern districts and 

 at Natal. 



Order CXXXVI. JUNCE^. 



Perianth 6-parted, more or less dry or glume-like, persistent. 

 Stamens 6, on the base of the segments ; or 3, opposite the 3 

 outer segments ; anthers 2-celled. Ovary 1-3-celled ; ovules 

 1, 3 or several in each cell ; style 1 ; stigmas 3. Fruit capsu- 

 lar, 3-valved, loculicidal or rarely indehiseent. Seeds albumi- 

 nous. — Herbs or rarely half-arborescent plants, with fistuhu*, 

 channelled or flat leaves and small, capitate or panicled, dry 

 flowers. These are the true Rushes. 



Ovai'y 3-celled, with many ovules. 



Sepals 3-nerved ; tufted or creeping plants, with 

 simple culms, and terete or flat and grass-like 



leaves or leafless 1. JuNCUS. 



Sepals 1-nerved ; plant with a trunk-like stem, 

 crowned with many broad, serrate, channelled 



leaves 2. Pkionum. 



Ovary 1-cclled, with 3 ovules only ; tufted plants witli 



grass-like leaves 3. LUZULA. 



Ovary 3-celled, with solitary ovules ; caulescent, with 



lanceolate tendril-bearing leaves 4. Flaqellaria. 



1. JUNCUS, Linn. 



Perianth regulai', (5-parted ; segments connate at the very 

 base, dorsally 3-nerved, widely spreading. Stamens G, rarely 3. 

 Ovary many-ovuled, 3-(or l-)celled ; style 1, often very short ; 

 stigmas 3, flliform, villous. Capsule manv-seeded. — Kunf/i, 

 iii.^. 315. 



Perennial, tufted or creoi»ing plants, rarely aiuiual, growing in damp soil 

 or marshes. Culms simple, lealless or leafy. Leaves sliealhing at base, 

 terete, channelled or flat; sheaths entire; lamina sometimes uborlive. 



