12 KEY TO PLANTS. 
colour and of leaves. Carpels numerous. 
Flowers racemose or corymbose, uni- 
sexual or polygamous. Perianth valvate 
in bud. Filaments very short. Anthers 
dehiscing by a transversal slit. Ovule 
1. South America, South-east Asia, 
Polynesia. Triurideae. 
(6) Water- or marsh-plants, coloured green, 
and provided with leaves. Carpels 3-6. 
Flowers spicate or racemose. Stamens 
6 or more. Seeds exalbuminous. 
Nuajadaceae. 
24 (a) Albumen mealy.* Inflorescence provided 
with a spathe at the base, spicate, race- 
mose, paniculate, or fasciculate. Water- 
or less frequently marsh-plants. Em- 
bryo central. Leaves stalked. Style 
undivided. Pontederwaceae. 
(6) Albumen fleshy, cartilaginous or horny. 
Inflorescence without a spathe, or um- 
bellate with a spathe. Land- or less 
frequently marsh-plants. 25. 
25 (a) Embryo at the edge of the albumen (but 
sometimes intruded into it). Herbs. 
* So also some Commelinaceae, land-plants with a 
coloured calyx and the embryo at the edge of the 
albumen. 
