«60 



■BOTANY. 



Order Slenispermacese.: — Woody twining plants, with alternate 

 Ipayes ; flowers dicliuoUs ; petals usually six, with a stamen before 

 {opposite to) eacli one ; carpels usually three, distinct and one-seeded. 

 Species eighty to one hundred, principally tropical. They generally 

 contain a bitter principle, which in some is tonic, in others narcotic, or- 

 even poisonous. 



Menispermum Uanadenm, the Moonseed of the Eastern United 

 States, is a beautiful climber deserving- cultivation in ornamental gar- 

 dens. Its only congener is a native of Eastern Asia. (Figs. 554r-8. ) 



FI03. 5B9-64.— lLLnSTRATI0H3 OF ASIMISA TRILOBA. 



rio. 561. 



Fio. 562. 



Fig. 563. 



Pie. 564. 



Pig. 559— Section of flower. Magnified. 

 Fig. 560. — Flower diagram. Mafrnifled. 

 Fig. 562. — Section of young carpel, 

 Fig. 563.— Seed. Natural Eize. 



Fig. 561.— Young carpel. Magnified. 

 Magnified. 



Fig. 564.— Section of seed. 



Two other genera, Calycooarpum and Cocculus, are represented in 

 the United States. 



Many of the Old World species are more or less in repute as furnish- 

 ing medicines, but none are of suflBcient importance to be particularly 

 noticed. 



Order Anonaceae. — Trees and shrubs, with alternate leaves ; flowers 

 trimerous ; stamens indefinite, on a thickened receptacle ; carpels gen- 

 erally indefinite. Species 400, mostly tropical. The bark generally 

 contains an aromatic and stimulating, sometimes acrid principle. 



