588 CEEATOPHYLLACEiE — PODOSTEMACE^ — STILAGINACKffl. 



in general use among the villagers for carrying rice. Ceeropia peltata 

 is the Trumpet-wood, so called on account of the hoUowness of its stem 

 and branches, which are used for wind instruments. The fibrous bark 

 of the tree is used for cordage. 



Order 167. — CEEATOPHYLLACE.ffi), the Homwort Family. (Apef. 

 Diclin.) Flowers unisexual. Perianth inferior, 10-12-parted. Male 

 flowers: stamens, 12-20; anthers sessUe, bilocular. Female flowers : 

 ovary free, 1-celled ; ovule solitary, pendulous, orthotropal ; style 

 filiform, oblique ; stigma simple. Fruit a 1-celled indehiscent nut, 

 terminated by the hardened style. Seed solitary, pendulous, exalbu- 

 minous; cotyledons 2, but apparently 4; radicle inferior. — Aquatic 

 submersed herbs, with verticillate leaves cut into filiform lobes. They 

 are found in ditches in various parts of Europe, Asia, and America. 

 The afiinities of the order are still obscure. Some authors consider 

 it as allied to Lythraceae, others to Ohenopodiaeeje, while Lindley puts 

 it in his Urtical alliance. Its properties are unimportant. There is 

 only 1 genus, including about 6 species. Example — Oeratophyllum. 



Order 168. — PoDOSTEMACBiE, the Podostemon Family. (Apet. 

 Monodin.) Flowers naked, or with a more or less perfect perianth, 

 bursting through an irregularly lacerated spathe. Stamens hypogy- 

 nous, definite or indefinite, distinct or monadelphous ; anthers dithecal, 

 with longitudinal dehiscence. Ovary free, 2-3-celled ; ovules numer- 

 ous, anatropal, attached to a fleshy central placenta ; styles or stigmas 

 2 or 3. Fruit slightly pedicellate, capsular, 2-3-valved. Seeds 00 ; 

 embryo exalbuminous, erect. — Herbaceous, branched, floating plants, 

 with capiUary, or linear, or lacerated, or minute and imbricated leaves. 

 Natives chiefly of South America, and of the islands to the east of 

 Africa. They flower and ripen seed under water, and their ashes furnish 

 salt. The affinities of the order are uncertain. Some authors put it 

 among the Monocotyledons. Genera, 21 ; species, 100. Examples — 

 Podostemon, Lacis. 



Order 169. — Stilaginace.*), the Stilago Family. (Apet. Diclin.) 

 Flowers unisexual. Perianth 2-3- or 5- partite. Male flowers : sta- 

 mens 2 or more, arising from a swollen receptacle ; filaments capiUary ; 

 anthers innate, 2-lobed, with a fleshy connective and vertical cells 

 opening transversely. Female flowers ; ovary free, 1-2-celled; ovules 

 2, anatropal; stigma sessile, 3-5-toothed. Fruit drupaceous. Seed 

 solitary, suspended ; embryo in fleshy albumen ; cotyledons leafy ; 

 radicle superior. — Trees or shrubs, with alternate, stipulate leaves. 

 Natives chiefly of the East Indies. Some yield edible fruits, others 

 are used as potherbs. The position of this order in the natural system 

 is obscure. Lindley places it in the Urtical alliance, others consider 

 it'; as allied to the Amentiferous orders. There are 5 known genera and 

 about 22 species. Examples — Stilago, Antidesma. 



Order 170. — MoNiMrACE.a!, theMonimia Family. (Apet. Diclin.) 



