278 



THE FLORA. 



Order CIII. PHYTOLACCACE^. Pokeweeds. 



Hei-bs or shrubs with alternate leaies^ no stipules^ and^werg racemed; 



sepals colored, 4 or 5 ; petals none ; stamens few or many ; 



ovary of one or several carpels, which are united into a ring, forming a 



berry in fruit; cells as many as the carpels, each 1-seeded; 

 embryo curved around the fleshy albumen. 



Analysis of the Genera. 



Sepals 5, roundish. 

 Sepals 4, persistent. 



Sta. 5-20. Ovary 5-12-carpeled and seeded. Phttolao'ca. 1 

 Stamens 4-12. Ovary 1-carpeled and 1-seeded. S. Eivi'na. 



PHYTOLACCA. Poke. 



Character expressed in the 

 Analysis. — Tall and stout per- 

 ennials, with greenish flowers 

 and purple berries. 



p. decan'dra. Plant 5-Sf. high, 



very smooth, bushy. Leaves 



large, ovate, acute at eacli end, 



petioled. Kacemes at first 



termhial, finally opposite to 



the leaves. Berries oblate, of 



a rich dark purple. July-Sept. 

 Fig. 627. Phytolacca decandria, leaves, flowers, and fruit 8. A flower, natural size. 9. Ita 

 stamens and ovary. Fig. 630. Cross-section of the ovary. 1. A seed cut open, showing the eni- 

 bryo coiled around tlie albumen. 



Order CYII. LAURACE^. Laurels. 



Trees and shrubs aromatic, with alternate, simple, dotted leaves; 

 sepals colored, 4-6, slightly united, strongly imbricated ; 

 anthers 2 or 4-celled, opening upwards by as many valves ; 

 ovary 1-ovuled, becoming a drupe in fruit ; no albumen. 



Analysis of the Genera. 



§ Flowers perfect, the calyx persistent. Leaves evergreen a 



I Flowers imperfect. Calyx deciduous. Leaves deciduous.. ..b 



a Trees. Lvs. thick, lance- oblong. Fls. umbeled. S. Ba7j GalU. Per'sea. 



