■24 



A SYNOPSIS OF THE PLANT KINGDOM 



l-<H'll<xi: ovule 1, b;u!;xl; stiRni:is 1-4, rsiroly more, sessile: 

 fruit a dry or flesh_\' l>i'rr\'. 



Tlion^ iiTp jienera aud abiuit 1,02") speci<-s, coiifiiiod 

 to the tropics. 'l"l>e larjiest neiura are I'iper with 000 

 sptvies ami IVpomiuia witli 400 speeies. 'I'he family is 

 n>lati\l to tlie Saururaeea', with whieli it is oflcii uiiitixl; 

 otherwise it stands alone as a distinct type, the system- 

 atic |H>sition of which is uncertain. The spicate inflores- 

 cence. nake^^ flowers, and l-cellwl, l-S(H'ded ovary are 

 distinctive. 



The luiripe fruit of Piper niffrum (,Iava, etc.) yields 

 black jx'pper. The ripe fruit of the ssune plant _\ields 

 white ix^pper. l..on,i!; pei>i)er is the wliole s|)ike of 

 P. longiiiii of India. The drug cubebs is obtained 

 from P. Cubihn. Hetcl consists of the leaves of 

 P. Brtle, which in India are mixed with the areea nut 

 and niiisticated (p. Hi). From ;ui extraction of the roots 

 of P. tnelhysticuin (ava, or kava-kava), mixed with 

 the milk of coconuts, an intoxicating drink is made in 

 the Pacific Islands. .Some species of Peperomia are 

 eaten as salads; others chewed as betel. 



Some genera are in cultivation in America as green- 

 house foliiige plants: Peperomia, 10 or more species; 

 Piper (Pepper, Hlack Pepper, Japanese Pepper). 



.50. Chloranthaceae (from the genus Chlordnlhiis, 

 signifying grcni flowers). CnLORANTHtrs Family. Fig. 

 14. Herbs, slirubs or trees: leaves opposite: flowers 

 bisexual or unisexual, regular, very small, subtended 

 by bracts, and mostly borne in spikes; perianth 0; 

 stamens in the bisexual flowers 1-3, united with each 

 other and with the ovary; in the staminate inflorescence 

 inserte<l on a common axis and forming a spike; 

 carpels 1, with 1 pendent ovule; stigma sessile: fruit 

 drupaceous. 



Three genera and about 35 species occur, in tropical 

 America, East Asia, and the islands of the Pacific 

 Ocean. The family is related to the Piperacea- and 

 Saururacea;. The opposite leaves, the few stamens, 

 which are often unilaterally united with the 1-celled 

 ovary, and the suspended ovule, are peculiar. 



The roots of CIdortnUhus officinalis have a camphor- 

 like odor, and are used in the East as a febrifuge. 



One species of Chloranthus is grown in greenhouses 

 for foliage and berries. 



Order 24. Salicales 



.51. Salicacese (from the genus Salix, the classical 

 Latin name). \ViLU)W- Family. Fig 1.5. Shrubs or 

 trees, creeping in the arctics: leaves alternate, simple: 

 flowers ditecious, both sexes in catkins, 1 flower to each 

 scale; perianth 0; disk present, cup-shaped or finger- 

 like; stamens 2-many, separate or united; ovary often 

 pedicelled, 1-celled; placenta? 2, parietal; ovules numer- 

 ous; stigmas 2, often each 2-lobed: fruit a capsule; 

 seeds with a basal tuft of long hairs. 



Salicacea; has 2 genera and about 180 species, of 

 which 160 belong to the genus Salix; inhabitants of 

 the north temperate and arctic zones, a few in the 

 tropics and in South .\frica. The family is not definitely 

 related to any other family, though possibly to the 

 TamaricaceaE. The flowers of both sexes in catkins, 

 the glandular disk, and the dehiscent many-seeded 

 capsule with como.se seeds, are distinctive. 



The bark of many specira has been used for inter- 

 mittent fevers and for tanning leather. A yellow dye 

 occurs in the bark of Pojmlus alba and /'. Ircmula, 

 also in Salix aU>a, .S'. tUrjihrioidea, and others. The 

 rcsinou."? buds of /■*. haLiamifera, or taeamahac, furnish 

 American balm of Oil(ra<l. The staminati; catkins of 

 fi. g-gyjili/icn are odoriferous and are used in the East 

 in mf^iicinal waters, as a W)rdial, and as a sudorific. 

 Willow and fKiplar wood is soft and light. The twigs 

 of B<;veral species of Salix are universally used in 

 basket-making. 



The two genera are in cultivation in America, as 



ornamental plants and for shelter-belts and basket- 

 work and .sonietinics for timber: Populus (Poplar, As- 

 pen, Taeamahac. Balm of (Ulead [not the original], 

 Cottonwood, Abele); and Salix (Willow, Osier). 



Order 25. Myuicales 



.52. Myricaceae (from the genus Mi/rica, the ancient 

 name of the Tani.Mrisk). Swekt Gale Family, Fig. 15. 

 Shrubs or trees: leaves alternate, usually simple, resin- 

 ous: flowers monu'cious or dio'cious, in catkins or 

 spikes, single for each bract; perianth 0; stamens 4-6, 

 or 16, in the axil of the bract (scale); ovary 1-celled, 

 1-ovuled; stigmas 2: fruit a drupe, usually slightly 

 h(irne(l by union with the bracteoles; seed solitary, 

 orthotropous, basal. 



15. S.\r.icACEJ5: 1. Salix, a, male flower; fa, female flower; c. 

 cros.s-section ovary. 2. Populus, a, male flower; b, dehiscing fruit, 

 Myric.\ce.e; 3. Myrica, a, male flower; 6, female flower. JuQ- 

 landace.b: 4. Juglans, a, diagram male flower; 6, diagram female 

 flower; c, vertical section female flower. Betulacea:: 5. Corylus, 

 a, diagram male flower; 6, diagram female flowers. 6. Betula, a, 

 male flowers; 6, female flowers; c, diagram male flowers; d, diagram 

 female flowers. 7. AInus, a, male flowers; b. female flowers; c, dia- 

 gram male flowers; d, diagram female flowers, (.s, scale; a, b, and c, 

 bractioles of the first, .second and third orders; p, perianth; ff, 

 gland.) 



One genus with about .35 species is generally dis- 

 tributed over the more temperate parts of the earth. 

 The Myricacea; are related to the other amentiferous 

 f;unilies, e.g., Juglandacea>, Fagacea; and BetulaceiE. 

 The indeliiscent, 1-seeded fruit, basal seeds, two 

 carpels, absence of perianth, and simple leaves are 

 (•li;u-aeteristic of the family. 



Mi/rica Gale and other species are used for tanning 

 leather. M. Gale has also been used in the preparation 

 of beer. The wax from the drupelets of M. cerifera 

 and M. cnrolinensis is used for making candles. The 

 fruit of M. sapida and M. Nagi is edible. M. {Comp- 

 tonia) asplenifolia hiis been used as a tonic. A volatile 

 oil is obtained from the fruits of M. Gale. The root 

 of M. cerifera is emetic and purgative. 



M. Nagi is cultivated in California for the edible 

 fruit. M. nspUnifolia, native in the United States, is 

 grown for ornament. Other species are sometimes 

 planted. 



