244 DIOECIA. POiTANBRIA- 



804. MENISPERMUM. L, (Moonseed.) 



Masc. Calix subbibracteate, about 6-leavedj>. 

 caducous. Petals 6 to 9, glandular, minute and 

 ret use. Stamina 16, or J 8 to ^4. Anthers ad- 

 wate to the titanients, 4-)obed, 2-celled. FeMo 

 Flower as tlie male. Geriiia and st\k^ S lu 6. 

 Drupes mostly solitary, l -seeded. JS^nt liiijale, 

 compressed. 



Twining' t-hrubs; leaves alternate, simple, often excen- 

 iricaliy peKa e or roundly cordate; fiov^ers axillary, ia 

 racemose panicles, small, and unibracteate; truit red or 

 dark puiple and pruinose. 



S?LciEs. 1. M. canadmse. Pluk Phyt. t. 36. f, 2. 2. 

 'virgiiutiim. 3. lyoni, Fh. 



A g'enus of ;ibout 24 species almost exciuslvely indige- 

 nous to India, tr!°re ai'e al?o 6 species in Jupan, 1 in Ara- 

 bii FeiJx, and 1 in Guianne. M. ca^uulense is also found 

 in Sib'p.a. The berries of sonie of tlie species possess 

 the property of mU.xirating fish and birds, while those of 

 the Cebatha ot'Forskall are said to be esculent. 



805. ZAMIA. X. 



Jiment strobiliform. — Masc. Calix consisting 

 of obov;>tf' scales. Cordlta none. Jlnthers glo- 

 bose, sessile upon the scales, opening by a fis- 

 sure. Fem. Calix peltate scales. Corolla 

 none. Germs 2. Styles none. Berries 2, I- 

 seeded. 



Caudex mostly shrubby, sutnmif comose; leaves alter- 

 nate, sheathing, pinnate; cones between the terminal 

 leaves, the female ones large and simple, the masculine 

 smaller and many together. 



SvEOTES. 1. Z. mtegrifoUa. Obs. Root a somewhat 

 spherical coated tuber, the farina of which after lixivation, 

 is said to be wliolesome and esculent. Tiiis is another ot 

 the roots called Tuckahoe (or bread) by the aborigines. 



A genus of about 14 species indigenous to India, tropi- 

 cal America and the Cape of Good Hope, there is also I 

 species very abundant in New HolluJid, the bert'les oi 

 which are very acrid and poisonous. 



