DICOTYLBDONES— MONOOHLAMYDE^ 243 



Atherospermaceae, but they differ in always being unisexual; 

 in the longitudinal dehiscence of their anthers ; in the absence 

 of feathery styles to the fruit ; and in their ovules and seeds 

 being pendulous. 



Distribution amd Numbers. — They are principally natives of 

 South America, but are found also in Australia, Java, Mada- 

 gascar, Mauritius, and New Zealand. Illustrative Genera : — 

 Monimia, Thouars ; Peumus, Pers. There are about 40 species. 

 Properties and Uses. — They are aromatic fragrant plants, but 

 their properties are of no great importance. 



Order 19. ATHEEOSPEEMACEiE, the Plume Nutmeg Order. — 

 Character. — Trees, with opposite exstipulate leaves. Flowers 

 axillary, racemose, braoteate, unisexual or rarely perfect. 

 Calyx inferior, tubidar, with several divisions. Male flowers 

 with numerous perigynous stamens ; 

 anthers 2-oelled, opening by recurved Fio- 1002. 



valves. Female flowers usually with 

 abortive scaly stamens. Carpels superior, 

 numerous, distinct, each with a sohtary 

 erect ovule ; styles and stigmas as many 

 as the carpels. Fruit consisting of a 

 number of acheenia crowned with the per- 

 sistent feathery styles, and enclosed in 

 the tube of the calyx. Seeds erect, with a 

 minute embryo at the base of fleshy albu- Fig. 1002. Vertical section 

 men._ This order is combined tvith laurusn^mlthelwell 

 Monimiacece by Bentham and HooJcer. Bay. 



Distribution and Numbers. — ^Natives 

 of Australia and Chili. There are but 3 genera : namely, Athero- 

 sperma, Labill., and Doryphora, Endl., from Australia ; and 

 Laurelia, Juss., from Chili. These include four species. 



Properties and Uses. — They are fragrant plants. The 

 achsenia of Laurelia somewhat resemble common Nutmegs in 

 their odour. 



Series 5. — Daphnales. 



Order 20. LAUKACEa;, the Laurel Order. — Character. — 

 Aromatic trees or shrubs (parasitic and twining in Gassytha). 

 Leaves simple, exstipulate, usually alternate, sometimes dotted 

 (Cffissj/i/ia has scales instead of foliage leaves). Flotvers generally 

 hermaphrodite or sometimes unisexual. Calyx inferior, deeply 

 4 — 6-cleft, coloured, in two whorls, the limb sometimes obsolete ; 

 cestivation imbricate. Stamens perig3mous, definite, some always 



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