48 NATURAL HISTORY OF PLANTS. 
II. Barpevir®.—Two superior carpels united in one ovary with 
two cells. Hypogynous stamens. (1 genus.) 
III. Acpesrinez.—Four inferior carpels placed in a concave 
receptacle, and united among themselves. Epigynous stamens. (1 
genus.) 
IV. Rivinra.—One single free carpel. Hypogynous or peri- 
gynous stamens. (7 genera.) 
V. Turiyconra.—One single free carpel, surrounded by a gamo- 
phyllous calyx. Moncecious unisexual flowers. (1 genus.) 
VI. GYRoSTEMONEÆ.—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 Rivinee, the Phytolaccacee 
nearly approach the Myctaginacee. 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 Wycfa- 
ginacee, whose petaloid limb resembles a corolla, and whose indurated 
base plays round the fruit the part of an almost closed accessory 
pericarp. The unicarpellary Phyfolaccacee have been compared to 
the Salsolacee, Polygonaceæ, Sc., but in these the placentation is 
basilar, and the number of carpellary leaves is more than one.’ They 
have also been compared, through the medium of Limeum and Giseckia, 
to the Portulaceæ, Mollugine, and Mesembrianthemee, which are dis- 
tinguished also by their pluricarpellary gynæceum and their mode of 
placentation.? At the other extremity of the family, Phytolacca and 
Gyrostemon, with their gynæceum representing a verticil with 
numerous carpels, intimately connected, as established by several 
modern authors,’ the Phytolaccacee to the Malvacee, 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 Phytolaccaceg equally resemble 
1 The Salsolaceæ cannot be absolutely dis- and Mesembriantheum. LINDLEY connects Peti- 
tinguished by the indefinite number of their  veraceæ and Sapindaceæ. 
stamens. 3 See Enpu., Gen. 978.—MoQ., Prodr., 3. 
2 By its inferior ovary Agdestis resembles —M. J. G. AGarpu (Theor. Syst., 367), find the 
Tetragonia and certain species of Portulacea analogy less. 
