FITERACE&. 493 



ovules go (of Saururus). Styles 3, free, stigmatiferous inside at apex. 

 Baccate fruit and seeds of Saururus. — A perennial herb ; leaves 

 alternate ; flowers spicate terminating 2-phyllous twigs ; bracts 

 free, 1-flowered {New Caledonia). See p. 468. 



4. Gymnotheca Dcne. — Flowers hermaphrodite naked ; recep- 

 tacle naked. Stamens 6 (more rarely 7, 8), subepigynous on margin 

 of receptacle, free. Grermen adnate inside receptacle, 1- celled ; 

 placentas 4 parietal ; ovules co (of Saururus), 2-seriate on eacb 

 placenta ; styles 4, alternate with placentas, recurved stigmatose a 

 long way down inside. Fruit...? — A perennial herb; aspect and 

 leaves of Saururus ; flowers spicate {China). See p. 468. 



II. PIPERE^. 



5. Piper L. — Flowers hermaphrodite or 1 -sexual, spicate or 

 racemose. Perianth 0. Stamens 1—10, inserted below gynseceum ; 

 filament usually short, free ; anther sometimes articulate 2-locular 

 basifixed 2-rimose, 4-valvate when mature. Germen free superior, 

 sessile or stipitate, 1 -celled; style short or more or less elongated; 

 apex simple or more frequently 2-4- or plurifid or partite ; lobes 

 often reflexed, subequal or unequal, stigmatiferous inside. Ovule 

 subbasilar suberect orthotropous ; micropyle superior. Fruit drup- 

 aceous, sessile or stipitate, 1 -seeded. Seed suberect orthotropous; 

 albumen copious floury ; embryo apical inverted, closely coated with 

 a second rather flesh v amniotic albumen. — Trees or shrubs, often 

 climbing ; branches sarmentose, knotty-articulate ; fibrovascular 

 system double ; outer zone tubular ; leaves simple petiolate ; 

 stipules 2 lateral adnate to continuous margin of sheath and petiole 

 to a variable height, usually high -connate together, persistent or 

 caducous ; flowers grouped in scattered simple spikes, or crowded 

 paniculate or spicate at ends of twigs, terminal or (the vegetation 

 being also interrupted at the node) leaf-opposed; bracts 1-flowered; 

 flower sessile or inserted in pits of receptacle, with the margin some- 

 times produced (and simulating lateral bractlets) ; bract free or pro- 

 duced into a cupule including the flower {All Tropical regions). See 

 p. 469. 



