368 FRANKENIACEvE ELATINACE^E CARYOPHTLLACE^E. 



albumen ; embryo straight, with the radicle next the hilum. Shrubs 

 or herbs, with alternate scale-like leaves, and racemose or spiked 

 flowers. They abound in the Mediterranean region, and are confined 

 chiefly to the eastern half of the northern hemisphere. Many are 

 found in the vicinity of the sea. They have a bitter astringent bark, 

 and some of them yield a quantity of sulphate of soda when burned. 

 The saccharine substance called Mount Sinai Manna, is yielded by 

 Tamarix mannifera. Lindley mentions 3 genera, comprising 43 known 

 species. Examples Tamarix, Myricaria. 



776. Order 23. Frankeniaceie, the Frankenia Family. (Polypet. 

 Hypog.) Sepals 4-5, cohering into a tube, persistent. Petals 4-5, 

 alternate with the sepals, hypogynous. Stamens hypogynous, equal in 

 number to the petals, and alternate with them, sometimes more numer- 

 ous ; anthers bilocular, with longitudinal dehiscence. Ovary unilocu- 

 lar, with parietal placentas ; style filiform, often trifid. Fruit a 

 1 -celled, usually 3-valved capsule, with septicidal dehiscence. Seeds 

 very minute, numerous, anatropal ; embryo straight, in the axis of fleshy 

 albumen. Herbs or undershrubs, with opposite exstipulate leaves. 

 They are found chiefly in the southern parts of Europe, and in the 

 north of Africa. They are said to have mucilaginous and slightly 

 aromatic properties. Genera, 4 ; species, 24. Example Frankenia. 



777. Order 24. Eiatinacese, the Water-pepper Family. (Polypet. 

 Hypog.) Sepals 3-5, free, or slightly coherent at the base. Petals 

 alternate with the sepals, hypogynous. Stamens hypogynous, equal 

 to, or twice as many as, the petals.. Ovary tri-quinquelocular ; styles 

 3-5 ; stigmas, capitate. Fruit capsular, 3-5-celled, 3-5-valved, loculi- 

 cidal; placenta central. Seeds 00, exalbuminous, anatropal; embiyo 

 cylindrical and slightly curved. Annual marsh plants, with hollow 

 creeping stems, and opposite stipulate leaves. They are found in all 

 parts of the globe. Some of them have acridity, and hence the name 

 Water-pepper. Genera 6, and species 22, according to Lindley. 

 Examples Elatine, Bergia. 



778. Order 25. c aryophy Hacete, the Chickweed Family. (Polypet. 

 Hypog.) Sepals 4-5 (fig. 571), free (fig. 269), or united in a tube 

 (figs. 290 c, 553 c), persistent. Petals 4-5 (fig. 571), hypogynous, 

 unguiculate (fig. 281), often bifid or bipartite (fig. 283), occasionally 

 0. Stamens (fig. 572 e) usually double the number of the petals, or, 

 if equal, usually alternate with them; filaments subulate, sometimes 

 united; anthers innate, bilocular, dehiscence longitudinal. Ovary 

 single, often stalked or supported on a gynophore (fig. 553 g), composed 

 of 2 to 5 carpels, which are usually united by their edges, but some- 

 times the edges are turned inwards, so as to form partial dissepiments; 

 stigmas 2-5 (fig. 391 s), with papillae on their inner surface (fig. 572 s). 

 Capsule unilocular (figs. 391, 574, 2), or imperfectly bi-quinquelocular 

 (fig. 573), 2-5 valved, opening either by valves, or more commonly 



