DICOTYLEDONES— MONOCHLAMYDEa; 235 



Sub-Class I. — MONOCHLAMYDE-E, OR INCOMPLETE). 



Series 1. — GurvembryecB. 



Order 1. Nyctaginaob^, the Marvel of Peru Order. — 

 Character. — Herbs, shrubs, or trees, with the stems usually 

 tumid at the joints. Leaves generally opposite and entire. 

 Flowers with an involucre. Calyx tubular or funnel-shaped, 

 often coloured, plaited in aestivation, contracted towards the 

 middle, its base persistent and ultimately becoming indurated 

 and forming a spurious pericarp. Stamens 1 or many, hy- 

 pogynous. Ovary superior, 1-celled ; ovule solitary ; style 1 ; 

 stigma 1. Fruit a utricle, enclosed by the hardened persis- 

 tent base of the calyx. Seed solitary ; embryo coiled round 

 mealy albumen, with foliaceous cotyledons, and an inferior 

 radicle. 



Distribution and Nwmbers. — Natives exclusively of warm 

 regions. Illustrative Genera : — Mirabilis, Linn. ; Pisonia, 

 Plum,. There are about 100 species. 



Properties and Uses. — Chieily remarkable for the presence , 

 of a purgative property in their roots ; which is especially the 

 case with those of Mirabilis Jalapa and M. longiflora. M. 

 dichotoma, Marvel of Peru, is commonly known by the name 

 of the Four-o'clock Plant, from opening its flowers in the 

 afternoon. Boerhaavia diffusa is said to possess expectorant 

 properties. 



Order 2. Amakantace^, the Amaranth Order.— Charac- 

 ter. — Herbs or shrubs. Leaves simple, exstipulate, opposite or 

 alternate. Flowers crowded, spiked or capitate, bracteated, 

 hermaphrodite, or occasionally unisexual. Calyx of 3 — 5 sepals, 

 dry and scarious, inferior, persistent, often coloured, imbricate. 

 Stamens 5, hypogynous and opposite to the sepals, or a multiple 

 of that number ; anthers 2- or 1-celled. Ovary free, 1-celled, 

 with 1 or more ovules ; style 1 or none ; stigma simple or 

 compound. Fruit a utricle or caryopsis, or sometimes baccate. 

 Seeds 1 or more, pendulous ; embryo curved roiind mealy albu- 

 men ; radicle next the hilum. 



Distribution and Numbers. — The plants of this order are 

 most abundant in tropical regions, and are altogether unknown 

 in the coldest climates. Illustrative Genera : — Celosia, Linn. ; 

 Amarantus, Limn. There are nearly 500 species. 



Properties amd Uses. — Unimportant. Amarantus spinosus 

 and other Indian species possess mucilaginous properties. 



