242 MANUAL OF BOTANY 



fleshy indehisoent aohasnia, or capsular and 3 — 4-oelled. Seeds 

 ascending, with a minute embryo in fleshy endosperm on the 

 outside of hard mealy perisperm. This order is included by 

 Bentham and JHooTcer in Piperacece as the tribe SaururecB. 



Distribution and Numbers. — Natives of North America, 

 Northern India, and China. Illustrative Genera : — Saururus, 

 Linn. ; Houttuynia, Thunb. There are about 7 species. 



Properties and Uses. — They have acrid properties, and are 

 reputed to be emmenagog^ue. Some are also astringent. 



Order 16. Chloranthacb^, the Chloranthus Order. — 

 Character. — Herbs or undershrubs with jointed stems, which 

 are tumid at the nodes. Leaves simple, opposite, sheathing, 

 with small interpetiolar stipules. Flowers in terminal spikes, 

 achlamydeous, with scaly Sracis, hermaphrodite or -unisexual. 

 Stamens 1, or more and united. Ovary l-celled with a solitary 

 pendulous ovule. Fruit drupaceous. Seed pendulous, with a 

 minute embryo at the apex of fleshy endosperm; radicle 

 inferior. 



■ Distribution and Numbers. — Natives of tropical regions. 

 Illustrative Oenera : — Hedyosmum, Swartz ; Chloranthus, 

 ■Swa/rtz. There are about 15 species. 



Properties and Uses. — Aromatic stimulant properties are the 

 principal characteristics of the plants of this order. 



Order VI. MyristicacejE, the Nutmeg Order. — Character. 

 — Trees. Leaves alternate, exstipulate, entire, dotted, stalked, 

 leathery. Flowers unisexual. Calyx inferior, leathery, 3 — 4- 

 cleft ; in the female flower, deciduous ; cestivation valvate. 

 Male flower with 3 — 12 stamens, or rarely more numerous ; 

 filaments distinct or monadelphous ; anthers 2-celled, extrorse, 

 distinct or united, with longitudinal dehiscence. Fem,ale flower 

 with 1 or many superior distinct carpels, or rarely 2 ; each 

 carpel with 1 erect ovule. Fruit succulent. Seed arillate, 

 with copious oily-fleshy ruminated albumen ; embryo small, 

 with an inferior radicle. 



Distribution and Numbers. — Natives of tropical India and 

 America. Illustrative Genera : — Myristica, Linn. ; Hyalo- 

 stemma. Wall. There are above 40 species. 



Properties and Uses. — Aromatic properties are almost uni- 

 versally found in the plants of this order, and more especially 

 in their seeds. The bark and the pericarp are frequently acrid. 

 Order 18. Monimiace^, the Monimia Order. — Diagnosis. — 

 Trees or shrubs, with opposite exstipulate leaves. Flowers 

 axUIary, unisexual. The flowers generally resemble those of the 



