A SYNOPSIS OF THE PLANT KINGDOM 



13 



e<iuisptum-liko stems, leaves scale-like at the distant 

 noiles; Gnetitm of South America, except one species, 

 is a group of vines or shrubs with large broad leaves 

 like those of an Angiosperm; Welwitsehia of South 

 Africa is a desert plant with a thick subterranean stem 

 bearing two ribbon-like leaves 6 feet long, lying flat 

 on the ground, and with a terminal cluster of cone-like 

 flower-spikes. 



It is doubtful whether any of these are regularly in 

 the American trade. 



SUB-DIVISION II. ANGIOSPERMJE 



CLASS I. MONOCOTYLEDONELE 



Order 12. Pandanales 



20. T)rphaceae (from the genus Typha, the old Greek 

 name). Catt.^il Family. Fig. 6. Perennial marsh 

 herbs, with creeping rootstocks, and long-linear, erect, 

 mostly basal leaves: flowers moncccious, naked, in a 

 dense terminal spike, which is staminate above and 

 pistillate below, each sex subtended by one bract-like 

 spathe; perianth 0; stamens 2-5; filaments connate, 

 bearing long, silky hairs; carpels 1; ovary 1-celled, 

 raised on a stipe which also bears long, silky hairs; 

 ovule 1, suspended; style slender: fruit a nutlet; seed 

 albuminous. 



A single genus and about 12 species occur in the 

 tropical and temperate zones. Fossil species are known. 

 The family is closely related to the Sparganjaceie, with 

 which it was formerly united. These two families con- 

 stitute a very distinct group of simple-flowered Mono- 

 cotyledons. The habit, the flowers borne in spikes with- 

 out perianth, the hairy pedicels, the absence of bracts, 

 and the simple pistil, are together distinctive. 



The starchy rootstocks are sometimes used for food. 

 The leaves are woven into matting, and into chair- 

 bottoms, and are used for calking barrels. The pollen 

 has been used as a substitute for the spores of Lyco- 

 podium. The rootstock is used in East Asia for dysen- 

 terj' and urethritis, and the leaves in various localities 

 for thatching cottages. A vain attempt has been 

 made to utilize the silky hairs of the fruit for making 

 velvet. 



Two species of Typha (Cattail Flag, Reed Mace), 

 both native, are in the American trade for water-gar- 

 dens. 



21. Pandanaceae Cfrom the genus Pandanus, derived 

 from a Malay name). Screw-Pine Family. Fig. 6. 

 Shrubby or arborescent plants: stems simple or 

 branched, with prop-roots: leaves spirally arranged, 

 densely placed, sword-shaped, often canaliculate, clasp- 

 ing, stiff; edges and midrib often spiny-serrate: flowers 

 on simple or branched spadices, dicecious, naked; 

 spathes caducous; stamens densely packed, separated 

 or united in fascicles, scattered over the spadix, and 

 not in definite flowers; pistillate spadix simple; ovaries 

 numerous, coherent in bundles, or isolated, not in real 

 flowers ; St igma se-ssile ; ovules solitary or several : fruit 

 drupaceous, cohering in multiple fruits; seed albumi- 

 nous. 



There are 3 genera and about 350 species, natives of 

 the tropics of the Old World. The family is unique. 

 The floral structure, while much like that of Typha, 

 suggests also the Palmacea^. As in Tj-pha, actual flowers 

 cannot here be distinguished. 



The fleshy pericarps of some are eaten. The strong 

 odor of the staminate flowers is either agreeable or dis- 

 agreeable, depending on the species; in the former case 

 the flowers are used for perfumery. The leaves of Pan- 

 danux utilis are made into bags for shipping coffee, 

 and the plant is now cultivated for that purpose in 

 the West Indies. 



Ten to 15 species of Pandanus (Screw Pine, Cande- 

 labrum Tree, ChandeUer Tree) are in greenhouse cul- 

 tivation in America. 



Order 13. Helobi.b 



22. Naiadaceae (from the genus Naias, derived from 

 the Greek, meaning a water nymph). Pondweed 

 Family. Fig. 6. Immersed aquatic herbs: leaves 

 mostly cauUne, opposite or alternate, the floating often 

 differing from the submerged in shape and texture: 

 flowers axillary or spicate, bisexual or unisexual; peri- 

 anth of 4 herbaceous segments, or wanting; stamens 

 1-4, rarely more; carpels 1-9, mostly distinct, 1-celled, 

 1-ovuled: fruit a nutlet; endosperm none; embryo 

 curved, rarely straight. 



NaiadaceiE has 10 genera and about 100 species 

 widely distributed, but most abundant in temperate 

 regions. The largest genus is Potamogeton with 50 

 species. The family is a very heterogeneous one which 

 has been divided or united in many ways by different 

 authors. As here treated it is distinguished by the 

 aquatic habit, greenish, often reduced perianth, few 

 stamens, and few, separate, 1-seeded carpels. A spathe- 

 like bract usually incloses the inflorescence. 



The dried leaves of Zostera and Posidonia have been 

 used since ancient times in Venice to pack glassware. 

 They are now widely used for packing. Plants of 

 Potamogeton and Zostera are employed as manure. 



Several species of Potamogeton (Pondweed) and 

 one of Zannichellia are possibly in the American trade, 

 for water-gardens. 



6. TYPHACE.E: 1. Typha: a, inflorescence; 6, male flower; c, 

 female flower. Pandanace.^: 2. Pandanus, a, portion male 

 inflorescence: b, female inflorescence, vertical section. Naiad- 

 ace.b: 3. Naias; a, male flower; &, female flower. 4. Potamogeton; 

 a, flower; 6, vertical section nutlet. 



23. Aponogetonaceae (from the genus Aponogelon, 

 derivation obscure). Aponogeton Family. Aquatic 

 herbs with tuberous rhizomes, and basal, submerged 

 or floating leaves; blade linear to oval, pahnately 

 parallel- veined, with transverse veinlets; the general 

 tissue between the veins often wanting, thus producing 

 a remarkable openwork latticed effect: flowers spicate, 

 bisexual, regular, hypogynous; perianth of several petal- 

 oid parts; stamens usually 6, rarely more; carpels 

 mostly 3, rarely 4-6, separate; ovules 2-6, mostly basal, 

 anatropous: fruit pouch-like; endosperm none. 



The single genus, with its 15 species occurs in Africa, 

 Madagascar, tropical Asia and .\ustralia. The family 

 is related to the Naiadaceae, with which it was formerly 

 united, and from which it is distinguished by the petal- 

 oid perianth, several ovules, and straight embryo. 



The roots are sometimes eaten by natives. 



.iponogeton distachyua (Cape pondweed, water haw- 

 thorn) is cultivated in water-gardens. 



24. Alismacese (from the genus Alisma, the Greek 

 name). Water-Plantain Family. Fig. 7. Herbace- 



