564 SYNOPTICAL KEY 



flowers involucrate: calyx corolla-like: fruit an achene, enclosed in the 

 tube of the calyx and thus apparently inferior. 



75 Polygonaceae Herbs or woody plants with alternate simple leaveg 

 with sheathing or on stipules : flowers perfect, on jointed pedicels, 

 often involucrate : fruit a more or less triangular akene. 



76 Pliytolaccaceae Herbs or shrubs with alternate leaves : flowers per- 

 fect, polygamous or monoecious : fruit a berry, or capsular or samaroid. 



77 AmaranthaceaB Herbs or low shrubs with alternate leaves: flowers 

 with petal-like scarious persistent sepals and bracts: fruit a utricle: 

 seed lenticular. 



78 Chenopodiaceae Herbs or shrubs with opposite or alternate simple 

 leaves without stipules sometimes leafless : bracts herbaceous : flowers 

 usually with herbaceous persistent sepals : fruit a utricle or achene. 



79 Lauraceae Trees or shrubs with simple entire leaves without stipules : 

 flowers perfect : fruit a drupe. 



80 Elaeagnaceae Shrubs or small trees with simple opposite leaves : flow- 

 ers dioecious : fruit drupe -like, enclosed in the calyx-tube and thus 

 apparently inferior. 



81 Ulmaceae Trees or shrubs with alternate stipulate leaves and small 

 mostly monoecious or polygamous flowers : fruit a drupe, samara or nut. 



82 Urticaceae Herbs, rarely shrubs or trees with alternate or opposite 

 mostly stipulate simple leaves: often armed with stinging hairs : flowers 

 monoecious or dioecious : fruit an achene. 



* * Ovary and fruit superior, of 2 or more carpels. 



83 Euphorfoiaceae Herbs or shrubs or trees with milky juice, mostly 

 alternate leaves with or without stipules : flowers monoecious or dioeci- 

 ous : fruit usually a 3 -celled 3-seeded capsule. 



84 Empetraceae Low evergreen shrubs with simple leaves without stip- 

 ules : flowers dioecious or polygamous : fruit berry-like containing 

 1-several 1-seeded nutlets. 



* * * Ovary and fruit inferior. 



85 Aristolochiaceae Perennial herbs or shrubs with alternate entire pet- 

 ioled leaves : flowers perfect with 3 lobed valvate calyx ; fruit a 6-celled 

 many seeded capsule. 



86 Santalaceae Perennial herbs or shrubs with alternate entire simpl e 

 sessile leaves : flowers perfect, with 3-5-cleft calyx : fruit a 1-seeded 

 nutlet or drupe. 



87 Loranthaceae Parasitic perennial plants with jointed stems and op- 

 posite entire leaves : flowers dioecious : fruit a 1-seeded drupe with 

 glutinous pulp. 



B. Trees or shrubs with alternate leaves. Flowers morurjci 

 ous, at least the staminate in aments. 



* Flowers monoecious; staminate numerous, in aments ; pistillate 

 few, with naked ovary. 



88 Fagaceae Trees or shrubs with entire or lobed leaves with caducous 

 stipules : flowers monoecious in aments, fruit a cup like or closed and 

 spiny involucre enclosing-several nuts. 



89 Corylacea? Shrubs or small trees with simple leaves: flowers monoe- 

 cious, staminate in aments, pistillate few in separate scaly bude fruit a 



