590 CHLOEANTHACEjE — SATJEUEACE^ — PIPEEACEjE. 



They are natives of the warm parts of America. Their properties are 

 unknown. There are 2 genera and 6 species. Example — Lacistema. 



Order 173. — Chloeanthace^, the Chloranthus Family. — 

 {Achlamyd. MonocUn. or Didin.) Flowers bisexual or unisexual, with a 

 supporting scale. Perianth 0. Stamens definite, lateral, and if more 

 than 1, connate; anthers monothecal, with longitudinal dehiscence, 

 each adnate to a fleshy connective. Ovary unilocular ; ovule solitary,, 

 pendulous, orthotropal; stigma sessile, simple. Fruit drupaceous, 

 indehiscent. Seed pendulous ; embryo minute, at the -apex of fleshy 

 albumen ; cotyledons divaricate ; radicle inferior, remote from the 

 hilum. — Herbs or undershrubs, with jointed stems, opposite, simple, 

 stipulate leaves, sheathing petioles, and spiked flowers. Natives of 

 the warm regions of India and America. Some of them, as CTiforan- 

 thus officinalis, are aromatic and fragrant, and have been used as stimu- 

 lants and tonics. There are 4 known genera and 16 species. Example 

 — Chloranthus. 



Order 174. — Saueurace^, the Lizard's-tail Family. {Achlamyd.) 

 Flowers bisexual. Perianth 0, a scale or bract supporting the 

 flowers. Stamens 3-6, clavate, hypogynous, persistent ; filaments 

 slender ; anthers 2-celled, continuous with the filament, with a thick 

 connective separating the lobes, dehiscence longitudinal. Ovaries 

 3-4, distinct, with 1 ascending orthotropal ovule, and a sessile recurved 

 stigma, or united so as to form a 3-4-celled pistil, with several ovules 

 and 3-4 stigmas. Fruit either consisting of 4 fleshy indehiscent nuts, 

 or a 1 -3-4-celled capsule, dehiscing at the apex, and containing a few 

 ascending seeds. Seeds with a membranous spermoderm ; embryo- 

 minute, lying in a fleshy vitellus, outside of hard mealy albumen at 

 the apex of the seed. — Herbs growing in marshy places, with alter- 

 nate, stipulate leaves, and spiked flowers. Natives of North America,. 

 India, and China. Their properties are said to be acrid. There are 

 4 known genera, according to Lindley, and 7 species. Examples — 

 Saururus, Houttuynia. 



Order 175. — PipekacEjE, the Pepper Family. {Achlamyd.} 

 Flowers ^ . Perianth 0, flowers supported on a bract. Stamens 2- 

 3-6, arranged on one side or all round the ovary ; anthers 1- or 2- 

 celled, with or without a fleshy connective ; pollen roundish, smooth. 

 Ovary solitaiy, free, 1 -celled ; ovule solitary, erect, orthotropal ; stigma 

 simple, sessile, rather oblique. Fruit somewhat fleshy, indehiscent^ 

 unilocular. Seed erect ; embryo in a fleshy vitellus outside the albu- 

 men, and at the apex of the seed. — Shrubs or herbs, with articulated 

 stems, leaves opposite (sometimes alternate by abortion of one of the 

 pair of leaves), or verticillate, exstipulate or stipulate, and spiked or 

 racemose flowers. Natives of the hottest quarters of the globe. 

 Common in South America and India. The wood is often arranged 

 in wedges, with medullary rays, but without concentric zones. There 



