CCXIX. CHLOKANTHACE^. 



733 



Saururus. Gymnotheca chinentis. 



Carpel cut vertically (mag.). Flower (inag.). 



Ilouttuynia cordata. 



Sauiitrut. 

 Fruit cut vertically (mag.). 



Oymnotheca chinensis. 



Transverse section of 



ovary, with parietal 



placentatiou. 



EMBRYO apical, situated in a superficial cavity of the albumen, and enclosed in the 

 persistent embryonic sac ; cotyledons very short ; radicle superior. 



Saururus. 



Houttuynia. 



GENERA. 

 Anemiopsis. 



Gymnotheca. Saururopsia. 



Saururece are near Piperacece in the intrapetiolar sheath, achlamydeous flowers, and antitropous 

 embryo enclosed, at the top of the albumen, within the persistent embryonic sac ; but Piperactxe are dis- 

 tinguished from them by their 1-carpelled 1-celled and 1-ovuled ovary. 



This family has been found in tropical Asia, equatorial and South Africa, Japan, and extra-tropical 

 North America. Saururece possess a somewhat acrid aroma, which confirms their affinity with Piperacea. 

 The root of Saururus cernuus, which grows in America, is boiled and applied externally in pleurodynia. 

 The herbage of Houttuynia is used as an emmenagogue in Cochin China. 



CCXIX. CHLORANTHACEJt. 

 (CHLORANTHE^E, Br. CHLORANTHACE^E, LindL] 



FLOWERS $ or diclinous, achlamydeous. OVARY 1- celled, \-ovuled; OVULE pen- 

 dulous, orthotropous. DRUPE fleshy. ALBUMEN fleshy, copious. EMBRYO small, 

 antitropous, apical; RADICLE inferior. 



Small TREES or UNDERSHRUBS, rarely annual HERBS, aromatic, with opposite 

 jointed-knotty branches. LEAVES opposite, petioled, simple, penninerved, dentate 

 or rarely entire ; petioles united into a short amplexicaul sheath, 2-stipulate on each 



