76 DICOTYLEDONE^E. 



Begoniacece are a beautiful family of tropical 

 herbs, remarkable for the rich colour and unequal 

 shape of the leaves of many of the species. Some of 

 these have tuberous under-ground stems ; showing 

 that they are impatient of, or liable to suffer by, 

 drought. 



Chenopodece are mostly inconspicuous and worth- 

 less weeds. Some of them, however, are valuable as 

 spinaceous herbs, and the monstrous spindle-shaped 

 stems of the beets are important to the cattle-feeder, 

 the sugar-manufacturer, and even, it has been lately 

 discovered, to the brewer. Chenopodium and its 

 alliances are covered with minute globules of mem- 

 branous matter and moveable under the touch, giving 

 the idea of oiliness. 



Phytolcicece and Amaranthacece are kindred orders ; 

 the first yield strong medicinal principles, the second 

 are valued for their showy flowers, as Celosia, Gom- 

 phrena, and Amaranthus. The Amaranthus olera- 

 ceus is cultivated and used as spinach in India. 



Nyctaginece and Plantaginece are remarkable for 

 being mostly destitute of corollas. The Marvel of 

 Peru is the most ornamental of these orders. These 

 conclude the sub-class Monochlamydece. 



Plumbagmece and Globuluria are placed at the 

 bottom of the sub-class Corolliflorece, but offer 

 nothing peculiar. 



PrimulacecB include some of the most admired 

 floral beauties ; viz. Cyclamen, Soldanclla, and the 

 genus that gives the title to the order. These are 



