ORDERS OF ANGIOSPERMS. 495 



The birch family (Betulacea;, examples: Betula, birch; Cory- 

 lus, hazelnut; Alnus, alder, etc.). 



The beech family (FagaceK = Cupuhfera;, examples: Fagus, 

 beech; Castanea, chestnut; Quercus, oak. 



957. Order Urticales. — Trees, shrubs, or herbs. Examples: 

 the elm family (UlmacetE), the mulberry family (iVIoraceae), and 

 the nettle family (Urticacea;). 



958. Order Santalales, herbs or shrubs, mostly parasitic. 

 The mistletoe family (Loranthacese), with the American 



mistletoe (Phoradendron flavescens), parasitic on deciduous 

 trees in the South Atlantic, Central, and Gulf States (N. J. 

 to Ind. Ter.). 



The sandalwood family (Santalaceae, example, the bastard 

 toad-flax, Comandra umbellata), widely distributed in North 

 America. 



959. Order Aristolochiales. — Herbs or vines with heart- 

 shaped or kidney-shaped leaves. The birthwort family (Aris- 

 tolochiaceffi, example, Aristolochia serpentaria, the Virginia 

 snake-root, eastern United States; wild ginger, or heart-leaf, 

 Asarum canadense, eastern North America.) 



960. Order Polygonales. — Examples: the buckwheat family 

 (Polygonaceae), including buckwheat (Fagopyrum), and numer- 

 ous species of Polygonum, known as smartweed, water-pepper, 

 tear-thumb, bindweed, knotweed, prince's-feather, etc. 



961. Order Chenopodiales. — Herbs. There are several fam- 

 ilies; one of the largest is the goosefoot family (Chenopodiaceae). 

 The genus Chenopodium includes many species, known as goose- 

 foot, lamb's-quarters, etc. Here belong aL.o the Russian thistle 

 (Salsola tragus) and the saltwort (S. kali). The former is some- 

 times a troublesome weed in the central and western United States, 

 naturahzed from Europe. The latter occurs along the Atlantic 

 coast on seabeaches. Atriplex occurs in salty or alkaline soil, 

 also the glasswort (Sahcornia herbacea), the bugseed (Cori- 

 spermum). The pokeweed family (Phytolaccaces), the Amaranth 

 family (Amaranthacese), the purslane family (Portulacacese, 

 including the purslane or "pursley," Portulaca oleracea, and 



