Obdeb 105.— CHENOPODIACB^. 



611 



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

 shrubby, with alternate, petiolate, pinnate-veined Ivs. and fls. in simple 

 terminal, soon lateral racemes. 



R. Ifevis L. Erect, branched, glabrous and bright green ;' Its. ovate acuminate, 

 subeordate or obtuse at base, suborenulate ; rao. longer than the leaves ; fls. rose- 

 white, green in fruit; stam. 4; sep. oval, obtuse. — Pla. to Tex. Plant 6 to il 

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

 2', petioles 1' to 18". Sep. enlarged in fruit, then 2" long. 



Okdeb civ. BASELLACE^ 



Serls glabrous, often twining and climbing, with alternate leaves. Flowers per- 

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

 Otherwise as in Chenopodiacea:. Pig. 3GS. 



A small order, containing 6 genera and 21 spa:ies, 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, subclavatc ; 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 ; fil. 



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. CHENOPODIACE^. Chenopods or Goose-foots. 



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

 late leaves. Bracts not searious. Flowers minute, greenish, regular. Calyx 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. Pig. 435. 



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

 rate zones, in neglected and waste fields. 



Properties.— ^vanroWj bland and innocent. Some are useful for food, as the Beet, Mangel- 

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

 spasmodic and anthelmintic; .as Cbenopodiom botrvs, C. ambrosioidcs, C. anthclminticum ; the 

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

 from their ashes in great abundance. 



FIG. 678. — 1. Flower of Chenopodium album, 2. Calyx, &c.', removed, showing the ovary and 

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

 of Salicornia berbacea. 5. Two joints magnified. 6. Ovary of a flower. 7.' Fl(xwpr of Blitum 

 capitatum, witli the fleshy calyx. 8. Vertical section of the ovary. 9. Flower of Beta vulgaris. 



"SUBOEDEES, TEIBES AND &BNEEA. 

 § 8PIE0L0BE.*!. Embryo a spiral coil. Leaves linear, fleshy. Stems continuous. (*) 



* TRinE SAL30LE.B. Emb. a conic spir. — Cal. winged on the back. (Lvs, spiny)... Salsola. 11 



* Tribe Su^DEiB. Emb. a fiat spiral. — Cal, not append. Lvs.acutish Chenopodina. 10 



5 CTCLOLOBE^ Embryo annular, — a ring. Leaves membranous, flat, or none. (*) 



