758 



THK SUBDIVISIONS OF THE VEGETABLE KINGDOM. 



Alliance XLIII. — Viridiflorse. 



Families: Leitneriacece, Cannabinacece, Dorsteniaceoe, Artocarpacece, Ficacece, 

 ConocephalaeecB, Moracece, Ulmacece 



Annual or perennial herbs, shrubs, and trees. The laminae of the foliage-leaves 

 veined with pinnate or radiating bundles. Flowers in glomerate, fasciculate, or 

 spicate cymes; actinomorphic, hermaphrodite, pseudo-hermaphrodite, moncecious, and 

 dioecious. Perianth composed of 2-8 inconspicuous greenish segments. Gjii^ceum 

 superior, 1-2 carpellary and imilocular. Ovule solitary, pendulous. Stamens as many 

 or double as many as the perianth-segments; all or those of the outer whorl are 



Fig. 428.—" laving bridge " formed of the aerial roots of the India-rubber and other liimls of Figs in Sikkim-Hinialaya. 



(.\fter Hooker.) 



inserted opposite the segments of the perianth. The pollen in dusty. The fruit is 

 a one-seeded achene or a drupe. The cotyledons of the embryo are not thickened. 



The Ulmace^ and Cannabinaceae contain watery juices; the plants of the other 

 families produce milky juice in greater or smaller quantity. The milky juice of the 

 Indian Ficus elastica is used in the manufacture of caoutchouc, that of the South 

 American Cow-tree (Galactodendron utile) as an article of diet. The milky juice of 

 the Upas-tree (Antiaris toxicaria), native to Java, contains poisonous substances. 

 In the Hop {Hu,mulus Lupulus) and in the Hemp (Cannabis saliva) bitter and 



