I 1 SYNOPSIS OF THE ORDERS. 



H- -»- -I- Ovary of several 1-ovuled carpels, in fruit a berry (in our genera). 



88. Phytolaccaceae (p. 435). Sepals 4 -.5, petaloid or herbaceous. Sta- 



mens 5-30, hypogynous. Carpels 5-12. Embryo annular. Leaves 

 alternate, entire ; stipules none. 



•I- -1- -I- H- Fruit a triangular or lenticular achene. 



89. Polygonaceae (p. 436). Flowers on jointed pedicels. Calyx 3 - 6-lobed 



or -parted, more or less corolla-like. Stamens 4-12, on the calyx. Em- 

 bryo nearly straight. Leaves alternate, with sheathing stipules or none. 



* 2. Ovary compound, the cells mauy-ovuled (or 1-ovuled in Piperacece) ; em- 



bryo minute in copious albumen ; flowers perfect. 



90. Podostemaceae (p. 444). Aquatic, with the aspect of sea-weeds or 



mosses, with minute naked flowers from a spathe-like involucre. Ovary 

 superior; pod 2-3-celled. 



91. Aristolochiaceae {p. 444). Terrestrial herbs or climbing shrubs. 



Calyx valvate, adnate at least at base to the 6-celled many-seeded ovary. 

 Stamens 6-12, more or less united with the style. Leaves alternate, 

 mostly cordate ; stipules none. 



92. Piperaceae (§ Saururege), (p. 446). Marsh herb (our species). Perianth 



none. Carpels 3-4, distinct, with usually a single ascending seed. 

 Leaves alternate, entire. 



* 3. Ovary superior, simple, 1-celled, 1-ovuled, forming a berry or drupe; 



trees or shrubs, with mostly entire leaves and no stipules. 



93. Lauraceae (p. 446). Flowers perfect or dioecious. Sepals 4 or 6, in 2 



rows. Stamens 9-12; anthers opening by 2 or 4 uplifted valves. Seed 

 suspended ; albumen none. Aromatic ; leaves alternate. 



94. Thymelaeaceae (p. 448). Flowers perfect. Calyx corolla-like, 4-5- 

 cleft. Stamens twice as many. Seed suspended, with little or no albu- 

 men. Acrid shrubs with very tough bark ; leaves alternate. 



95. Elaeagnaceee (p. 448). Flowers mostly dioecious. Calyx-tube becoming 



berry-like and enclosing the achene. Seed erect, albuminous. Leaves 

 silvery-scurfy, opposite. 



* 4. Ovary inferior, 1-celled, 1-3-ovuled (but 1 -seeded); albumen without 



testa, bearing the embryo in a cavity at the apex ; calyx-lobes valvate. 



96. Loranthaceae (p. 449). Parasitic on trees, with jointed stems and op- 



posite leaves. Flowers dioecious. Ovule solitary, erect. Fruit a berry. 



97. Santalaceae (p. 450). Flowers perfect. Ovules 2-4, suspended from 

 the apex of a central placenta. Fruit dry, indehiscent. Leaves alternate. 



* 5. Flowers all unisexual (polygamous in some Urticaceae and Empetraceae, 



apparently perfect in Euphorbia) ; cells 1 - 2-ovuled ; embryo nearly as 

 long as the albumen or filling the seed ; calyx often wanting, corolla-like 

 only in some Euphorbiacea and Empetracea? ; stipules often present. 

 -.- 1. Ovary superior, 3-celled (1-celled in Crotonopsis) with 1 or 2 pendulous 

 ovules in each cell; herbs. 



98. Euphorbiaceae (p. 451). Flowers monoecious or dioecious (involucrate 



and apparently perfect in Euphorbia). Mostly with milky juice, and 

 usualb' alternate often stipulate leaves. 



