438 MANUAL OF NATUKAL HISTORY. 



simple or compound; fruit a membranous 

 utricle or caryopsis, rarely baccate. Found 

 chiefly in dry spots in tropical Asia and 

 America ; a few occur also in Africa, Aus- 

 tralia, and Europe. 



3. FAMILY. Surianads (Surianaceae). Shrubby ; 



leaves alternate, exstipulate ; flowers race- 

 mose, bisexual ; calyx 5 -partite ; petals five ; 

 stamens indefinite, opposite the sepals ; ovary 

 of five carpels, distinct, 1-celled; stigmas 

 simple ; pericarp woody ; seed solitary, erect, 

 compressed. Contains one genus with a 

 single species. Common on tropical shores. 



4. FAMILY. Phytolaccads (Phytolaccacese). Under- 



shrubs or herbs ; leaves alternate, exstipulate, 

 often dotted ; flowers racemose, variously 

 arranged; perianth 4-5-partite ; stamens 

 indefinite or alternate with divisions of 

 perianth ; ovary of one or several carpels ; 

 styles equal to carpels ; stigmas simple or 

 divided ; fruit baccate or dry, indehiscent. 

 Natives of warm parts of America, Africa, 

 and Asia. 



5. FAMILY. Marvels-of-Peru (Mirabilacese). Herbs, 



shrubs, or trees ; leaves opposite or alternate ; 

 flowers involucrate ; perianth tubular, often 

 coloured, becoming indurated at the base; 

 aestivation plaited ; stamens definite ; ovary 

 1-celled ; style one ; stigma one ; fruit a 

 caryopsis enclosed within the enlarged tube 

 of the perianth. Occur principally in warm 



