728 CCXVII. PIPERACE^J. 



TRIBE I. CYNOMORIE^E. Flowers g or unisexual by arrest, with a distinct perianth, superior 

 in the ? , sometimes in the $ . Stamens free. Anthers 2-celled, dehiscence longitudinal. Ovary 

 1-celled ; style single ; ovule solitary, pendulous. Cynomorium, Mystropetalum, Dac,tylantlius. 



TRIBK II. EUBALANOPHORES;. Perianth of the $ 3-6-lobed, of the 9 0. Stamens monadel- 

 phous ; anthers extrorse. Ovary 1-celled; style 1 ; ovule pendulous, anatropous. Balanophora. 



TRIBE III. LANGSDORFFIEJ;. Perianth of the $ 3-lobed or of a few scales, of the ? tubular. 

 Stamens monadelphous ; anthers extrorse. Ovary 1-celled ; style 1 ; ovule 1, erect. Langs- 

 dorffia, Thoniiingia. 



TRIBE IV. H!ELOSIDE^E. Perianth of the J 3-lobed or tubular or campanulate, of the ? 0. 

 Stamens monadelphous; anthers connate, bursting at the top. Ovary 1-celled; styles 2; 

 ovule 1, erect. Helosis, Pliyllocoryne, Sphcerorhizon, Coryncea, Rhopalocnemis. 



TRIBE V. SCYBALIE^E. Perianth of the $ 3-lobed, of the ? 0. Stamens monadelphous ; 

 anthers extrorse. Ovary at first 1-celled ; styles 2 ; ovules 2, pendulous from an apical placenta 

 which descends and divides the cell into two. Scybalium. 



TRIBE VI. LOPHOPHYTEJ;. Perianth of $ and ? 0. Stamens 2, free. Ovary and ovules 

 as in Scybaliem. Lophophytum, Onibropliijtum, Lathrophytum. 



TRIBE VII. SARCOPHYTE.E. Perianth of 3-lobed, of ? 0. Stamens 3, free; anthers 

 many-celled. Ovary at first 1-celled ; stigma sessile ; ovules 3, pendulous from an apical 

 placenta that descends and divides the cell into three. Sarcophyte. ED.] 



The parasitism of lialanophoretf, the anatomical structure of their tissue, composed of cells crossed by 

 rayed scalariform vessels, and the nature of their seeds, connect them with Cytineee and Rafflesiacea ; 1 but 

 they differ in habit, inflorescence, and the composition of their ovary. They have also some analogy with 

 Gunneracea? in diclinism, apetalism, inflorescence, oligandry, the inferior 1-celled and 1-ovuled ovary, the 

 pendulous ovule, albuminous seed, undivided embryo, and astringent property. They differ in parasitism, 

 the absence of leaves, &c. 



Balanophwea principally inhabit the intertropical region of both worlds, but are not abundant any- 

 where ; one species alone (Cynomorium coccineinn), the analysis of which we have taken from the learned 

 memoir of "Weddell, grows on various plants of the Mediterranean shores. Another (Dactylanthus} 

 inhabits New Zealand. Mystropetalum and Sarcophyte inhabit South Africa. The third, fourth, fifth, and 

 sixth tribes are all American, except Jlhopalocnemis, whicli is tropical Asiatic, and Thonninyia, which is 

 tropical African. 



The properties of Balanophorea are more or less astringent. Cynomorium cocdneum, the Fungus 

 mclitcnsis [of the Crusaders], has an astringent and slightly acid taste. Its reddish juice was formerly pre- 

 scribed as an infallible styptic for haemorrhage and diarrhoea. In Jamaica Jlelosis has a similar reputation. 

 Sarcophyte, a Cape species, exhales a foetid odour, as do several others. Ombrophytum, which grows in 

 Peru with marvellous rapidity after rain, is named by the inhabitants Mountain Maize ; they cook the scape, 

 and eat it like mushrooms. [Candles are made from a peculiar hydrocarbon contained in a Javanese 

 Balanophora.~\ 



CCXVII. PIPERACE^E, L-C. Richard. 



FLOWERS $J or dioecious, achlamydeous. STAMENS 2-3-6-ao . OVARY 1-celled 

 1-oi'uled ; OVULE sessile, basilar, erect, orthotropous. BERRY nearly dry. ALBUMEN 

 fleshy, dense. EMBRYO antitropous, apical, included in the embryonic sac; RADICLE 

 superior. 



Annual or perennial HERBS, usually succulent, or SHRUBS. STEMS simple or 



1 I regard them as having no affinity whatever with Rafflesiace<e.~Ev. 



