758 



THE SUBDIVISIONS OF THE VEGETABLE KINGDOM. 



Alliance XLIII. — Viridiflorse. 



Families: Leitneriacece, Gannabinacece, Dorsteniacece, Artocarpacece, Ficacece, 

 GonocephalacecB, Moracece, Ulmacece 



Annual or perennial herbs, shrubs, and trees. The laminae of the foliage-leaves 

 veined with pinnate or radiating bundles. Flowers in glomerate, fasciculate, or 

 spicate cymes; actinomorphic, hermaphrodite, pseudo-hermaphrodite, moncecious, and 

 dioecious. Perianth composed of 2-8 inconspicuous greenish segments. Gynseceum 

 superior, 1-2 carpellary and unilocular. Ovule solitary, pendulous. Stamens as many 

 or double as many as the perianth-segments; all or those of the outer whorl are 





Fig. 428.— ' Living bndge formed of the aerial roots of the India-rubber and other kinds ol Figs in Sikkim-Hinialaja. 



(After Hooker.) 



inserted opposite the segments of the perianth. The pollen in dusty. The fruit is 

 a one-seeded achene or a drupe. The cotyledons of the embryo are not thickened. 



The UlmaceEe and Cannabinacese contain watery juices; the plants of the other 

 famiUes produce milky juice in greater or smaller quantity. The milky juice of the 

 Indian Fious elastica is used in the manufacture of caoutchouc, that of the South 

 American Cow-tree (Galactodendron utile) as an article of diet. The milky juice of 

 the Upas-tree (Antiaris toxicaria), native to Java, contains poisonous substances. 

 In the Hop {Humulus Lupulus) and in the Hemp {Gannahis sativa) bitter and 



