48 NATURAL niSTOBY OF PLANTS. 



II. Barbeuie^e. — Two superior carpels united in one ovary with 

 two cells. Hypogynous stamens. (1 genus.) 



III. Agdestide^e. — Four inferior carpels placed in a concave 

 receptacle, and united among themselves. Epigynous stamens. (1 

 genus.) 



IV. Eivinejs. — Cne single free carpel. Hypogynous or peri- 

 gynous stamens. (7 genera.) 



V. Tiielygone^e. — One single free carpel, surrounded by a gamo- 

 phyllous calyx. Monoecious unisexual flowers. (1 genus.) 



VI. Gyrostemone^e. — Two or several superior carpels inserted 

 within upon a central columella, free upon the sides, or rarely 

 united. Flowers unisexual-dicecious. (3 genera.) 



By the unicarpellary types, such as the Rivinece, the Phytolaccacece 

 nearly approach the Nydaginacece. They are apetalous, they have 

 the single carpellary leaf, a subbasilar but posterior placenta, and a 

 seed with farinaceous albumen and peripheral embryo ; but they are 

 distinguished by the absence of the perianth peculiar to the Nyda- 

 ginacece, whose petaloid limb resembles a corolla, and whose indurated 

 base plays round the fruit the part of an almost closed accessory 

 pericarp. The unicarpellary Phytolaccacece have been compared to 

 the Salsolacece, Polygonacece, &c, but in these the placentation is 

 basilar, and the number of carpellary leaves is more than one. 1 They 

 have also been compared, through the medium of Limeum and Giseckia, 

 to the Portulacece, Mollugince, and Mesembrianthemece, which are dis- 

 tinguished also by their pluricarpellary gynseceum and their mode of 

 placentation. 2 At the other extremity of the family, Phytolacca and 

 Gyrostemon, with their gynaeceum representing a verticil with 

 numerous carpels, intimately connected, as established by several 

 modern authors, 3 the Phytolaccacece to the Malvacece, which are dis- 

 tinguished, moreover, by the organization of their perianth, often 

 double, by their androceum, by their fruit, by their seed, and by 

 their embryo. 



By their histologic organization the Phytolaccacece equally resemble 



1 The Salsolacece cannot be absolutely dis- and Mesembriantheum. Lindley connects Peti- 

 tinguisbed by tbe indefinite number of tbeir veracece and Sapindacece. 



stamens. 3 See Endi., Gen. 978. — Moq., Prodr., 3. 



2 By its inferior ovary Agdtstis resembles — M. J. G. Agaedii (Theor. Syst., 3G7), find tbe 

 Tetntgonia and certain species of Porlulacca analogy less. 



