ENDOGENJE FLORID JE. 377 



162. Marantacea. Herbaceous tropical plants destitute 

 of aroma. Leaves with divergent veins. Calyx superior, of 

 3 sepals. Corolla irregular, with the segments in 2 w~horls. 

 Stamens 3, petaloid, of which one of the laterals and the 

 intermediate are barren or abortive. Filament petaloid; 

 anther 1-celled. Stigma cucullate, and incurved. Seeds 

 without aril ; albumen hard ; embryo naked. 



USES. Maranta arundinacea and some others form a large 

 quantity of pure starch in their tubers, and this, when ex- 

 tracted, forms arrow-root ; the leaves of both this and the 

 Zingiberaceous order are plaited into baskets by the Indians. 



TYPICAL GENERA. Maranta, Canna. 



163. Musaceee. Leaves with divergent veins, sheathing at 

 the base, and forming a kind of spurious stem ; often very 

 large. Flowers spathaceous. Perianth 6-parted, petaloid, 

 in 2 rows. Stamens 6, some abortive ; anthers 2-celled. 

 Stigma usually 3-lobed. Fruit either a 3-celled capsule, or 

 succulent. Embryo in the axis of mealy albumen. 



USES. The large fleshy fruits filled with starch in Musa 

 are the Plantains and Bananas of tropical countries, where 

 they furnish the inhabitants with an abundance of most nu- 

 tritious food. 



TYPICAL GENERA. Musa, Strelitzia. 



1 64. Amaryttidacea. Generally bulbous, sometimes fibrous- 

 rooted, occasionally with a lofty stem. Leaves ensiform. 

 Calyx and corolla equally coloured, superior. Stamens 6 ; 

 anthers bursting inwardly. Stigma 3-lobed. Albumen fleshy 

 or corneous. 



USES. Hsemanthus toxicarius, and many others, have 

 poisonous bulbs. The deleterious principle in a diffused state 

 renders them simply emetic, as in Narcissus, several species of 

 which possess this quality ; or purgative, as Oporanthus luteus. 

 In some Alstromerias with fleshy roots a large quantity of 

 starch exists, which, when freed from impurities, forms a sort 

 of arrow-root. Agave Americana, the American Aloe, as it is 

 miscalled by gardeners, abounds, when flowering, in a sweet 

 sap, which, being fermented, becomes an intoxicating liquid, 

 called Pulque. 



TYPICAL GENERA. Amaryllis, Oporanthus, Narcissus. 



