660 PLANTAGINACE^ — NYCTAGINACEiE. 



sistent corolla. Seeds sessile, peltate, or erect ; spermoderm mucila- 

 ginous ; embryo in the axis of fleshy albumen, transverse ; radicle 

 inferior. — Herbs, -which are often stemless, with radical ribbed leaves, 

 and spiked hermaphrodite flowers, or solitary unisexual ones. The 

 species are chiefly found in temperate and cool regions. There are 

 3 genera noticed by Lindley, including about 50 species. Exanvples 

 — Plantago, Littorella. 



"The plants of this order are frequently bitter and astringent. 

 Their mucilaginous seeds are sometimes used as demulcents. Plantago 

 maritima is found both on the sea-shores and on the top of the highest 

 mountains in Scotland. Its inorganic constituents are said to difier 

 in these localities (p. 132). Plantago major, Way-bred, is said to 

 follow the footsteps of man in his migrations. Its spikes are used for 

 feeding birds. Sometimes the bractlets become large, and at other 

 times they assume a verticiUate appearance. The seeds of Plantago 

 decumbens, a native of Egypt, JST.W. India, and the Canary Islands, 

 are used to form a demulcent drink in diarrhoea. They are called 

 Ispaghiil seeds, or Spogel seeds. 



Sub-class IV. — MONOCHLAMYDE^. 



Corolla wanting ; a calyx, or what is called a simple perianth, 

 present; flowers sometimes Achlamydeous. This sub-class includes 

 the Apetalous orders of Jussieu, and many of his Diclinous irregular 

 orders. It corresponds to the Apetalae and Grymnospermae of Endlioher. 



Section A. — Angiospeem^. 



Monochlamydeous or Achlamydeous plants, having their seeds 

 contained in an ovary, and fertilised by the action of the pollen on a 

 stigma. It is the Apetalous division of Endlicher's Acramphibrya. 



Order 137. — NYCTAGiNACBis, the Marvel of Peru Family. (Apet. 

 Hypog.) Perianth tubular, coloured, contracted in the middle, be- 

 coming indurated at the base (fig. 792) ; limb entire, or toothed and 

 deciduous; aestivation plicate (fig. 791). Stamens definite, hypogy- 

 nous (fig. 792 e) ; anthers dithecal (fig. 793). Ovary superior, 1- 

 ceUed ; ovule solitary, erect ; style 1 ; stigma 1 (figs. 792, 794) ; 

 Fruit a caryopsis, enclosed within the enlarged persistent tube of 

 the perianth (figs. 537, p. 302 ; 795, 796). Embryo peripherical 

 (figs. 618, p. 341 ; 796 e) ; albumen farinaceous ; cotyledons foliaoe- 

 ous ; radicle inferior (figs. 796, 797).— Herbs, shrubs, or trees, with 

 opposite, often unequal, sometimes alternate leaves, and involucrate 

 flowers (figs. 791, 792). They are natives principally of warm regions. 



