74 



A SYNOPSIS OF THE PI.ANT KINGDOM 



herlis; Adhatoiia, shrubs; Aiihohindni, shrubs; C^ros- 

 s;iiidra, shrub; Kittonia, liorbs; CiraptoiihyUuni (C\iri- 

 caturo l'l!U>t\ shrub;*; Jaoobiiiia. herbs; Justicia, rc- 

 ferrixl to otlior penora; IVristropho; Uuolha, herbs or 

 shrubs; Strobilanthos, often used also for bedding. 



2l)ti. Myoporaceae Urom the genus Mi/oponim, siR- 

 nifymj: to fhut a port-, in reference to the siM)ts in the 

 leaves which are closed liy a nienibrane). Myopouum 

 Family. Fig. ri4. Shrubs or trees: leavesalternate, rarely 

 opjxisite, usually glandular or woolly: flowers bisexual, 

 regular or irregvilar; calyx 5-cleft, persistent; corolla 

 5-lobetl, gjunopetalous, hypogynous; stamens 4, didyn- 

 aiiious, the fifth a staniinodiuni, epii)elalous; ovary 

 superior, 2-cellcd or falsely 3-10-celled; usually 1-2, 

 rarely S, ovules in each cell; style 1; stigmas 1-2: fruit 

 drupaceous. 



There are o genera and about 90 species, of which 57 

 belong to Pholidia and 25 to Myoporum. They are 

 mainly natives of Australia, but scattered species occur 

 in the West Indies, Japan, China, Hawaiian Lslands, 

 and elsewhere. The family is related to the Scrophulari- 

 acca- and to the \'erbenacea-. The few flvules, the 

 presence of oil-glands and the pendulous seeds are dis- 

 tinctive. 



Myoporum platycnrpum is the sandal-tree or sugar- 

 tree or dogwood of Australia. From it, a kind of manna 

 is secreted; also a resin that is used like sealing-wax. 



Two species of Myoporum are grown as ornamental 

 plants in this country. 



55. Rubiace.e: 1. Galium, a, flower; b, fruit. 2. Houstonia, 

 flower. 3. Bouvardia. floral diagram. Caprifoliace.e: 4. Loni- 

 cera, flower. \*aleriaxace.e: 5. Valeriana, flower. 



207. Phrymacese (from the genus Phryma, a name of 

 unknown derivation). Lop.seed F.\mily. Fig. .54. Per- 

 ennial herbs : leaves opposite, simple : flowers bisexual, bi- 

 labiate; calyx 5-eleft, 2-lipped; corolla 5-lobed, 2-li])ped, 

 gamopetalous, hypogynous; stamens 4, didynamous, in- 

 cluded, epipetalous; ovary superior, 1-celled; ovule 1, 

 sub-basal, straight (orthotropous); style 1; stigmas 2: 

 fruit dr>', indehiscent, inclosed in the abruptly reflexed 

 calyx, the teeth of which .are hooked. 



A single genus and species occurs in the eastern 

 I'nited .States and V.asi Asia. The family is related to 

 the V'erbenacea.- and was formerly united with that 

 family; but the peculiar, 1-secded fruit, with a straight 

 orthotropous seed is distinctive. 



Phryma LcptosUichyn flopseedj has been in the 

 trade as an ornamental garden plant. 



Order 51 . Pl.\.nt.\ginales 



208. Ptantaginaces (from the genus Planlago, the 

 Latin name of the plant). Plantain Family. Fig. .54. 

 Annual or perennial herbs: leaves alternate or opposite: 

 flowers bi.sexual, or rarely unisexual, regular; calyx 

 4-cleft; corolla 4-lobed, gamopetalous, hypogynous, scar- 

 iou.s, imbricated; stamens 4, e|)ip(talous or hyiiogynous, 

 ex-sertwl, alternate with the corolla-lolics; ovary 

 superior, l-2-<;ellftd, rarelj' 4-celled; ovules I to many in 

 each cell; style and stigma 1: fruit a circumscissile cap- 



sule, or an indehiscent nutlet, invested by the persistent 

 calyx; seeds usually peltate. 



'Fhree genera and about 200 species, of which all 

 but '.i belong to the genus Plantago, are distributed 

 over the whole earth. The centers of tlistribution are 

 the Mediterranean region and the .Vndes. This is a 

 very tlistinc't gamopetalous family of doubtful relation- 

 ship, po.ssibly allied to the LabiaUe. 



^laiiy ICuropean s|)ecies were formerly used in 

 medicine; the seeds as mucilaginous emollients in 

 inflammatory ophthalmia, and the like; the leaves as 

 bitters. The seeds arc used in India to stiffen nnislins. 

 PUinliigo lanceolnld, P. Coronopiis and P. major are 

 eaten as greens. The seeds of several species are sold 

 for feeding birds. P. lanceolata is uscti for early pas- 

 turage. 



The family is not cultivated in N. America, except 

 possibly for bird-seed, pasturage, or pond-border 

 planting. 



Order 52. Rubiales 



209. Rubiacese (from the genus Ruhia, signifying 

 red, from the color of the roots of some species). Mad- 

 der Family. F'ig. 55. Trees, shrubs or herbs: leaves 

 opposite or whorlcd, simple, usually entire: flowers bi- 

 sexual, rarely unisexual, regular, rarc-ly slightly irregular; 

 calyx 2-G-cieft, or 0; corolla gamopetalous, 4-6-lobed, 

 mostly valvate; stamens 4-(3, epipetalous; ovary inferior, 

 1 to many-, commonly 2-, celled; ovules 1 to many 

 in each cell; style 1; stigma 1, capitate or several- 

 branched : fruit a capsule, berry, or drupe. 



Rubiacea? is a family of 343 genera and about 4,500 

 species, mainly tropical; about 34 species reach the 

 northeastern Uniteil States. The family is closely 

 related to the Caprifoliacex, but usually has stipules or 

 whorled leaves; it is also related to the Cornacete, 

 Valeriancea>, Composita>, and the like. 



A number of tropical Rubiaceai are myrmecophilous, 

 i. e., provide a dwelling-place for jirotective ants. The 

 whorled leaves of some species have probably been 

 developed from stij^ules. 



This is an important economic family. Coffea 

 arnhi.cn (Abyssinia coffee) is generally cultivated in the 

 troi)ics and used elsewhere as a beverage. Cinchona 

 Leilcjcrinna and C. succirubra of the Andes furnish 

 quinine. Uragoga (Caphselis) Ipecnciinnhii of Brazil is 

 the source of the emetic ipecac. Cephalanthus of North 

 America, and several species of Galium have been 

 used in medicine. Rubin tincloria (Mediterranean) 

 furnishes the red dye, madder. Roots of Asperula and 

 some species of Galium yield red dyes. Morinda 

 cilrifolia (tropics) yields a yellow dye, morindin. 

 Ourniiparia Gundnr (Malay) yields the dye known iis 

 catecu, gambir, or terra jajionica. The foliage of 

 Asperuin oiloraln h.as the fragrance of sweet grass, and 

 is used for a similar piu'pose, and for flavoring wines. 

 Galium Iriflorum has a similar otlor. Galium verum, the 

 yellow bedstraw (Kurope) contains a milk -curdling 

 ferment, hence the name, "galium;" also formerly given 

 to women to increiise lactation. Berries of Mitchella 

 contain a saponin-like substance. The fruits of Van- 

 giieria, edulis and se\'eral other species of Rubiacea; are 

 edible. The wood of many species is valuable. 



Forty to .50 genera and a great many .species are in 

 cultivation in N. America, mostly in the greenhouse and 

 in tropical horticulture. Among the.se are Indian Mul- 

 berry (Morinda); Cape .Jasmine (Giirdenia); Bluets 

 (Houstonia); Manettia Vine (Miinettia); Madder 

 (Rubia); Butfonbush (Cephal.inthus, hardy); Bedstraw 

 or Cleavers (Galium); t'"ffee (Coffea); Cinchona (Cin- 

 chona); aiifl Partridge Berry (Mitchella). 



210. Caprifoliaceae ifrom the old genus Caprifolium, 

 meaning a f/atil-lnif, possibly in reference to the climb- 

 ing habit j. IloNEYsrt'KLE 1'"amily. F'ig. 55. Shrubs, 

 very rarely herbs: lea\'es opposite, simple or pimiate: 

 flowers bisexual, regular or irregular; calyx 4-5-toothed, 



