Cometes.~\ cxv. ILLECEBRACE^E. (J. D. Hooker.) 713 



SCINDE, Yicary, Stocks DlSTRlE. Beluchistan, Waziristan, and westward to 

 S. Arabia. 



Stem woody below; branches 4-10 in., very numei-ous, stout, erect, terete, dichoto- 

 mous. Leaves \ 1 in., elliptic, acute at both ends, variable in width ; petiole short. 

 Heads \-\ in. diain., including the feathery rusty appendages which close over the 

 fruit to prevent the escape of the seed, which germinates in the head. Sepals with 

 the dorsal awn variable in length. Stamens and staminodes variable in length . 



ORDER CXVI. AftEARANTACEJE. 



Herbs, rarely shrubs. Leaves opposite or alternate, exstipulate. Flowers 

 usually in terminal simple or panicled spikes, cymes or clusters (outer in the 

 cluster sometimes deformed) ; bracts and 2 bracteoles scarious. Sepals 5, 

 rigid or scarious, persistent, imbricate in bud. Stamens 1-5, opposite the 

 sepals, 'filaments free or connate below or united with intervening mem- 

 branous staminodes into a hypogynous cup ; anthers 1- or 2-celled. Ovary 

 1 -celled ; styles 1-3 ; ovules 1 or more, basal,/-jtonicle capillary. Fruit a 

 utricle, rarely a berry or capsule, enclosed in or resting on the persistent 

 perianth. Seed erect, orbicular or ovate, compressed, testa crustaceous ; 

 embryo horseshoe-shaped or annular, surrounding a mealy albumen. 

 Genera 48, species 480, tropical and subtropical. 



TRIBE I. Celosieae. Leaves alternate. Anthers 2-celled. Ovary 



2-oo -ovuled. 



Fruit a berry. A shrub ............. 1. DEEEINGIA. 



Fruit membranous. Herbs ............ 2. CELOSIA. 



TRIBE II. Amaranteae. Anthers 2-celled. Ovary 1-ovuled. 

 * Ovule erect. Leaves alternate. 



Sepals spreading under the fruit .......... 3. BOSIA. 



Sepals erect, enclosing the fruit. 



Flowers pa'nicled, 2-sexual. Utricle indehiscent ..... 4. BANALIA. 



Flowers capitate, 2-sexual. Utricle circumsciss ..... 5. ALLMANIA. 



Flowers spicate, 2-sexual. Nut crustaceous ...... 6. DIGEEA. 



Flowers unisexual ............... 7. AMAEANTUS. 



** Ovule suspended from a basal funicle. 



f Flowers clustered, 1-3 perfect surrounded by deformed ones. Leavec 

 opposite. 



Stamens with interposed staminodes ...... ... 8. CYATHTTLA. 



Stamens without staminodes ........... 9. PUPALIA. 



ff Flowers all perfect. Staminodes 0. 



Outer sepals 3-ribbed. Stamens 5. Spikes axillary . . .10. PSILOTEICHUM. 

 Outer sepals 3 -ribbed. Stamens 5. Spikes panicled . . . 11. PSILOSTACHYS. 

 Sepals all hyaline. Stamens 1 or 2 ......... 12. NOTHJSBTJA. 



tff Floivers all perfect. Stamens with interposed staminodes. 



Sepals hyaline, woolly. Staminodes short ....... 13. 



Sepals scarious, tipped with wool. Staminodes long . . .14. STILBANTHUS. 

 spinescent ............... 15. ACHYBANTHES. 



