A SYNOPSIS OF THE PLANT KINGDOM 



61 



less inferior; ovules numerous in each cell; style and 

 stigma 1 : fruit a berry, drupe or capsule, or dry and 

 indehiscent, usually inclosed in the calyx. 



Most of the 148 genera and about 2,800 species, are 

 found in tropical America, where the species are very 

 abundant and form a characteristic component of the 

 vegetation; represented in the eastern United States 

 by 4 species of Rhexia (deer-grass, meadow beauty). 

 Melastomaceas is a very distinct, striking and pecu- 

 liar tropical family related to the Myrtaceacae and the 

 Lythracese, recognized by the venation of the leaves, 

 and the unusual stamens. The so-called "cauliflower" 

 species, with the flowers borne directly on the tree- 

 trunks, are pollinated by butterflies in the deep tropi- 

 cal forests. Some Melastomacea: are myrmecophilous, 

 i.e., furnish habitations or food for ants, which in turn 

 protect the plant. 



The fruits of several species are eaten. The berries 

 and bark of some yield coloring matter of some impor- 

 tance. A yellow dye is obtained from the leaves of 

 Memecylon of the East Indies and Africa; red and 

 black dyes are secured from the berries of Tamonea 

 (tropical America), Melastoma (East Indies), and so on. 

 The leaves of Tamonea thesezans are used by the 

 Peruvians in place of tea. Some, because of astringent 

 properties, are locally used as medicine. The most 

 important use of the Melastomaceae is ornamental. 

 The large, showy, queer flowers and striking foliage 

 render them popular greenhouse plants in the North. 



Some 20 genera are cultivated in N. America, mostly 

 as warmhouse decorative plants, or for summer bed- 

 ding. Few, if any, have popular names. 



166. Onagraceae (from the genus Onagra, now a part 

 of CEnothera, derived from the Greek, a wild ass, 

 in reference to a fancied resemblance between the 

 ears of that animal and the leaves of these plants). 

 EVENING PRIMROSE FAMILY. Fig. 44. Mostly herbs, 

 rarely shrubs: leaves opposite or alternate: flowers 

 bisexual, regular, perigynous or epigynous; sepals 4, 

 rarely 2-3, separate or united, valvate; petals 4, or 

 rarely 2 or 0, mostly clawed, convolute; stamens of the 

 same number as the petals or twice as many, outer 

 alternate with the petals; ovary 2 4-celled, inferior; 

 ovules numerous; style 1; stigmas 1-4: fruit a capsule, 

 rarely a berry or nut. 



The 36 genera and 470 species are mostly natives of 

 the temperate portion of the New World (western United 

 States and Mexico), but are also abundant in South 

 America. Epilobium, containing 160 species, is widely 

 distributed in the cooler regions of both hemispheres. 

 This is a distinct family, recognized by the numerical 

 plan of 2 or 4, the usually perigynous flowers, and the 

 inferior ovary with many ovules. It is related to 

 Lythracea:, Melastomacese, Myrtacese, and other fami- 

 lies of this group. 



Fuchsia is shrubby or even arborescent, and its 

 fruit is a berry. The tubular receptacle is prolonged 

 beyond the ovary in most genera, but not in Jussieua, 

 Ludwigia, and Epilobium. The seeds of Epilobium are 

 comose, and are distributed, parachute-like, by the 

 wind. The flowers of a number of species of CEnothera 

 open only at night or in dark weather, and are pollinated 

 by night-flying moths; hence the name evening prim- 

 rose. 



The wood of several species of Fuchsia furnishes ink 

 and a black dye. Jussieua pilosa yields a yellow dye. 

 The berries of many Fuchsias are eaten, and preserved 

 with sugar. The young shoots of Epilobium latifolium 

 are eaten as greens. The roots of (Enothera biennis 

 have been improved in Europe and furnish "rha- 

 pontic" roots, which are eaten like celery. The coma 

 of the seeds of Epilobium has been used in Lapland to 

 make lamp-wioks and has been spun into cloth, but 

 without great success. Many genera are cultivated for 

 ornamental purposes because of the showy flowers. 



About a dozen genera are cultivated in N. America, 



among which are the following: Circaea (Enchanter's 

 Nightshade); Epilobium (Willow Herb, Fire Weed); 

 Fuchsia; Ludwigia (Water-purslane, Seed-box or Rattle- 

 box) ;^Clarkia; CEnothera (Evening Primrose, Sundrops) ; 

 and Godetia. These are mostly grown in the open as an- 

 nuals or as hardy perennials, except Fuchsia, which is a 

 greenhouse plant but often bedded out in summer. 



167. Hydrocaryaceae (from the Greek signifying 

 water-walnut). WATER CHESTNUT FAMILY. Herbaceous, 

 aquatic plants, mostly floating: stems slender, clothed 

 with opposite, pinnatifid roots: leaves alternate, 

 crowded at the summit of the stem, floating, rhomboid, 

 petioled; petioles forming thick, hollow floats: flowers 

 bisexual, regular, slightly perigynous, axillary; sepals 

 4; petals 4; stamens 4, all sets alternating; ovary sur- 

 rounded by -an erect, corona-like disk, half-inferior, 

 2-celled; cells 1-ovuled; style and stigma 1: fruit a 

 woody 1-celled, 1-seeded nut bearing on the surface 

 the four divergent woody horn-like sepals and capped 

 by the woody disk. 



A single genus and 3 species occur, distributed in the 

 Mediterranean region and eastward to eastern Asia. 

 This is an ancient family, more common in the tertiary. 

 The family is related to the Onagraceae, with which 

 it is frequently united, and to the Haloragidaceas, 

 and is somewhat intermediate between these two 

 families. The fruit, disk, and habit are peculiar. 



The starchy seeds have a chestnut-hke flavor and 

 are eaten raw or cooked, for which reason the plants 

 are often cultivated. The fruits are regularly sold 



44. ONAQRACE^E: 1. (Enothera, o, flower; 6. floral diagram. 

 2. Epilobium, a, flower; 6, dehiscing fruit; c, seed. 3. Circsea, 

 floral diagram. HALORAGIDACE^E: 4. Myriophyllum, a, portion 

 of flowering plant; b, female flower; c, male flower, petals removed. 



in the markets of India; those of Trapa natans var. 

 verbanensis are used as beads. 



Trapa natans (Water Chestnut, Water Caltrops) 

 and T. bispinosa (Singhara Nut) are grown in this 

 country as aquarium plants. See article on Trapa. 



168. Haloragidacese (from the genus Haloragis, 

 meaning sea + a berry). WATER MILFOIL FAMILY. 

 Fig. 44. Herbs, aquatic or terrestrial, of very diverse 

 appearance: leaves opposite or alternate, often in the 

 same genus, pectinate (aquatic) to very large and 



