MONIMIACE^ — ATHEKOSPEEMAOE^ — LACISTBMACEiE. 589 



Tlowers unisexual. Periantli somewhat globose, in one or more rows, 

 divided at the border. Male flowers : stamens indefinite, ooyering the 

 whole interior of the perianth ; filaments often with 2 scales at the 

 base ; anthers dithecal, with longitudinal dehiscence. Female flowers : 

 •ovaries several, superior, enclosed within the tube of the perianth, each 

 with 1 style and 1 stigma ; ovule solitary, pendulous, anatropal. Fruit 

 consisting of several achsenia, enclosed within the enlarged perianth. 

 Seeds pendulous ; embryo at the end of copious fleshy albumen ; radicle 

 superior. — Trees or shrubs, with opposite exstipulate leaves. They 

 .are natives chiefly of South America and Australia. The bark and 

 leaves are aromatic and fragrant. The succulent fruit of some is eaten. 

 Boldoa fragrans (JPeumos, or Ruizia fragrans) is a branching aromatic 

 tree of Chili, the leaves of which contain an essential oil. The leaves 

 are used as stimulant and tonic. The bark is used by tanners and the 

 fruit is eaten. There are 8 known genera and about 40 species. 

 Examples — Monimia, Boldoa. 



Order 171. — Atheeospeemaoe.®, the Plume-nutmeg Family. 

 .(Apet. Diclin.) Flowers xmisexual. Perianth tubular, divided at the 

 top into several segments,°in 2 rows, the inner often petaloid, and 

 iiccompanied in the female flowers with a few scales. Male flowers : 

 stamens 00, inserted in the bottom of the perianth ; filaments with 

 scales at the base ; anthers 2-oelled, with valvular dehiscence. Female 

 flowers : ovaries usually 00 ; ovule solitary, erect ; style simple, lateral 

 or basilar ; stigmas simple. In some flowers, though rarely, stamens 

 -and pistils are found, and in that case the stamens are fewer, and arise 

 from the orifice of the perianth. Fruit consisting of achsenia, with 

 persistent, ultimately feathery styles, enclosed within the tube of the 

 perianth. Seed solitary, erect ; embryo small, at the base of soft fleshy 

 albumen ; radicle inferior. — -Trees, with opposite, exstipulate leaves, 

 found in Australia, and in some parts of South America. They are 

 generally fragrant. The bark of Atherosperma moschatum, a native of 

 Australia, resembles Sassafras in flavour. There are 3 known genera 

 and 4 species, according to Lindley. Examples — Atherosperma, 

 Laurelia. 



Order' 172. — LACiSTBMACEiE, the Lacistema Family. (Apet. 

 Diclin.) Flowers polygamous. Perianth in several narrow divisions, 

 -covered by an enlarged bract. Stamen 1, hypogynous ; anther having 

 2 cells, which are separated by a thick 2-lobed connective, and which 

 dehisce transversely. Disk fleshy. Ovary superior, l-celled ; ovules 

 .several, anatropal, attached to 2-3 parietal placentas; stigmas 2-3, 

 nearly sessile. Fruit a unilocular 2-3-valved capsule, with loculicidal 

 -dehiscence. Seed usually, by abortion, solitary, suspended, with a 

 fleshy arillus ; spermoderm crustaceous j embryo in fleshy albumen ; 

 ■cotyledons flat ; radicle cylindrical, superior. — Small trees or shrubs, 

 -with simple, alternate, exstipulate leaves, and amentaceous flowers. 



