554 



PHANEROGAMS. 



Order 2. Polyearp£e. Flowers pentacyclic or hexacyclic (2, 3); whorls in (i) 

 dimerous and decussate, with four monocarpellary ovaries placed diagonally; in 

 (2, 3) trimerous, or with a larger number of stamens and carpels (see p. 549) ; the 

 gynjeceum consists of three or more monocarpellary ovaries, which are one- or 

 more-seeded ; endosperm absent. Perennial floating water- or upright bog-plants, 

 with large lattice-veined or long narrow (2) leaves 



Families: i. Potamogetoneae. V^ 



2. Juncagineae. 



3. Alismacese. 



Order 3. HydrocharideaB. Flowers dioecious or polygamous, with trimerous 

 whorls, and perianth consisting of both calyx and corolla ; male flowers of from one 

 to four whorls of fertile stamens and within these several whorls of staminodes ; 

 female flowers with an inferior tripartite or six-chambered (3) many-seeded ovary; 

 endosperm absent. Perennial submerged or floating water-plants with spiral or 

 verticillate (i) leaves. 



Family i, Hydrocharidere; with the subsections — 



1. Hydrilleas. t-^; 



2. Vallisnerieae. 



3. Stratioteae. 



SERIES II.— MlCRANTH^. 



Land- or bog-plants; the individual flowers usuafly very small and inconspicuous, 

 but collected in large numbers in the inflorescence, and almost always referable to the 

 dimerous or trimerous pentacyclic type. 



Order 4. SpadiciflorsB. Inflorescence a spadix or panicle with thick branches 

 (4), generally enveloped in a large sometimes petaloid (i) spathe ; bracts small or 

 altogether absent ; perianth never petaloid, usually inconspicuous or altogether 

 abortive (1-3); sexual organs generally diclinous by abortion; fruit always superior 

 and often very large (2, 4); the seed mostly large or of an immense size and with 

 a very large endosperm ; embryo small, straight. Mostly large strong plants with 

 the stem strongly developed, chiefly above ground, and a great number of large 

 foliage-leaves; in (i, 3, 4) they have a broad branched or apparently pinnate or 

 compound lamina, a leaf-stalk and sheath, in (2) they are sessile, very long and 

 narrow. 



Families: i. Aroideae. 



2. Pandanaceae. 



3. Cyclantheae. 



4. PalmaceES. 



Orders. Glumifilorse. Inflorescence spicate or panicled, without a spathe; 

 flowers very small and inconspicuous, usually concealed among thickly placed dry 

 hypsophyllary leaves (glumes or pales) (2, 3); perianth absent, or replaced by hair- 

 like structures or scales ; fruit superior, small, one-seeded, dry and indehiscent 

 (a caryopsis); embryo in (i) long and in the axis of the endosperm, in (2) by its 

 side and very small, in (3) also by the side of the endosperm, but considerably 

 developed and provided with a scutellum. Plants with persistent underground 

 elongated rhizomes, and upright foliage-leaves in two or three (2) rows; (i) should 

 perhaps rather be included in the fourth order. 



