494 NATURAL HISTORY OF PLANTS. 



6. Chavica MiQ. — Flowers and fruits of Piper ; anthers 2-4, 

 2-valvate when mature, dehiscing outwards.— Shrubs ; aspect, fibro- 

 vascular system, leaves, and inflorescence of Piper {Tropical Asia, 

 Sunda Isles). See p. 473. 



7. Verhuellia Miq. — Flowers nearly of Piper ; stamens 2, lateral ; 

 mature anthers 4-valvate. Free germen and ovule of Piper ; style 

 short, unequally 4-fid-stigmatose. — Small slender herbs ; fibro- 

 vascular system simple scattered ; small leaves and inflorescences of 

 Piper {Tropical and Subtropical America, East Africa). See p. 473. 



8. Peperomia Euiz & Pav. — Flowers of Verhuellia ; anthers 

 (not articulate) 2-valvate extrorse (of Chavica). Germen and ovule 

 of Piper ; style simple. — Herbs or shrubs, often slender ; fibro- 

 vascular system of Verhuellia ; leaves alternate opposite or verticil- 

 late ; inflorescence of Piper ; bract free {All Warm countries). See 

 p. 473. 



III. CHLORANTHEJE. 



9. Chloranthus Sw. — Flowers hermaphrodite naked ; receptacle 

 cupuliform, produced outside in front below stamens into a scale. 

 Stamens inserted anteriorly on margin of receptacle, either 1 ; fila- 

 ment thick ; anther introrse 2-celled, 4-locellate, longitudinally 

 2-rimose {Sarcandra) ; or else 3 ; filaments connate at base into a 

 3-partite fleshy scale ; middle anther 2-celled (sometimes sterile) ; 

 lateral 2, 1 -celled {Euchloranthus) ; connective muticous at apex, or 

 long-loricate beyond cells. Germen adnate at base inside recep- 

 tacle, 1-celled; style short simple, soon dilated stigmatiferous ; 

 ovule 1, inserted below apex of inner wall, subpendulous ortho- 

 tropous ; micropyle inferior. Drupe fleshy or subcarneous, accom- 

 panied by adnate base of receptacle ; putamen fragile. Seed 

 subpendulous orthotropous ; albumen copious ; embryo small ; 

 radical conical inferior ; cotyledons small divaricate. — Shrubs or 

 perennial herbs, aromatic ; branches glabrous opposite knotty-arti- 

 culate ; leaves decussate simple ; stipules lateral, connate at base to 

 no great height together and with petioles; flowers 1-bracteate in 



