Obdeb 105.— CHENOPODIAOEiE. 



611 



length, dry, globular, with 1 vertical seed ; embryo annular. — 21 Half 

 shrubby, with alternate, petiolate, pinnate-veined Ivp. and lis. in simple 

 terminal, soon lateral racemes. 



R. leevis L. Erect,- branched, glabrous and bright green; Ivs. ovate, acuminate, 

 subcordate or obtuse at base, suborenulate ; rac. longer than the leaves ; fls. rose- 

 white, green in fruit; stam. 4; sep. oval, obtuse. — Fla. to Tex. Plant 6 to 8f 

 high, much resembling in aspect Phytolacca. St. furrowed. Lvs. 2 to 4' by 1 to 

 2', i^tioles 1' to 18"- Sep. enlarged in fruit, then 2" long. 



Order CIV. BASELLACE^. 



Berhs glabrous, often twinmg and climbing, with alternate leaves. Flowers per- 

 fect, regular, with a double, imbricated calyx often colored. Stamens perigynous. 

 Otherwise as in Chenopodiacese. Fig. 36S. 



A small order, containing 6 genera and 21 species, chiefly tropical. 



BOUSSINGAUL'TIA, Kunth. Mexican Vine. (Dedicated to the 

 celebrated chemist Boussingault.) Fls. membranous, calyx open, the 

 exterior shorter ; tube very short ; stigmas 3, subclavato ; pericarp 

 membranous ; embryo annular with the albumen central. — Vines twining 

 to the right. Lvs. thick, petiolate. Fls. in spicate rac. 



B. baselloides Kunth. Lvs. rather fleshy, broadly cordate-ovate, acuminate 



or the larger ones obtuse, short-petioled ; racemes loose, simple or branched; til. 



dilated below ; stig. sessile. — Cultivated for shades and arbors. A vine of rapid 



growth, arising many feet Lvs. 1 — 3' long. Racemes numerous, greenish. 



t S. Am. 



Order CV. CHENOPODIACEJC. Chenopods or Goose-foots. 



Berhs chiefly weed-like and homely, more or less fleshy, with alternate, exstipu- 

 late leaves. Bracts not scarious. % Flowers minute, greenish, regular. Galyx imbri- 

 cated in bud. Stamens perigynous, as many as, and opposite to the calyx lobes, 

 or fewer. Ovary 2-styled, l-celled, becoming a 1-seeded, thin utricle or caryopsis. 

 Embryo coiled into a ring around the albumen or spiral without albumen. Fig. 435. 



Genera 72, species 510, often maritime plants, more generally weeds, abounding in the tempe- 

 rate zones, in neglected and waste fields. 



Properties. — Generally bland and innocent. Some are useful for food, as tho Beet, Mangel- 

 wurtzel, Orache, 8pinaco, &c. Others contain an essential oil, which renders them tonic, anti- 

 spasmodic and anthelmintic; as Cbenopodium botrys, C. ambrosioides, C. anthelminticum ; the 

 latter yields the officinal worm-seed oil. Salsoli, Salicornia and other sea-side species yield soda 

 from their ashes in great abundance. 



flQ. 678.— 1. Flower of Cbenopodium album. 2. Calyx, Ac, removed, showing the ovary and 

 two (hypogynous) stamens. 8. Cross section of the seed, showing the coiled embryo. 4. Branch 

 of Salicornia hcrbacea. 5. Two joints magnified. 6. Ovary of a flower. 7. Flower of Biitnm 

 cjipitatum, with the fleshy calyx. 8. Vertical section of the ovary. 9. Flower of Beta vulgaris. 



■ SUBORDERS, TRIBES AND GENERA. 

 $ 8PIE0L0BE.ffi. Embryo a spiral coil. Leaves linear, fleshy. Stems continuous. (•) 



* Tbice Salsole*. Emb. a conic spir.— Cal. winged on the back. (Lvs. spiny)... Salsola. 11 



* Tumi! St;j:DK.c Emb. a flat spiral.— Cal. not append. Lvs.acutish Gushopodina. 10 



J CYOLOXiOBB.^ Boibryo annular,— a ring. Leaves membranous, flat, or none. {♦) 



