MANUAL OF NATURAL HISTORY. 399 



ovate, versatile; ovary fleshy, unilocular; 

 styles confluent ; ovules 00, horizontal ; fruit 

 succulent, 1 -celled, smooth, scaly or tuber- 

 cular ; albumen none. Natives of dry, hot, 

 and exposed situations ; almost exclusively 

 American, though numerous species have been 

 introduced into the Eastern Hemisphere. 

 Many produce an edible fruit, which is often 

 refreshing, as the Barbadoes-Gooseberry, and 

 the Prickly-Pear. The principal food of the 

 Cochineal-Insect is obtained from plants of 

 this family, but especially from the Opuntia 

 cochinellifera. 



2. Family. — Chili-Nettles (Loasacese). Herbaceous; 



hispid, with stinging hairs ; leaves opposite 

 or alternate, exstipulate ; peduncles axillary, 

 1 -flowered ; calyx 4~5-parted ; petals five ; 

 stamens 00, distinct or polyadelphous ; 

 ovules confluent, pendulous ; fruit capsular 

 or succulent. American plants. Occurring in 

 temperate and tropical regions ; distinguished 

 oh account of their stinging properties. 



3. Family. — Homaliads (Homaliacese). Trees or 



shrubs; leaves alternate ; stipules deciduous; 

 flowers in spikes, racemes, or panicles ; calyx 

 funnel-shaped, 5-45-divided ; petals 5-15 ; 

 stamens opposite petals ; styles 3-5, separate ; 

 ovules pendulous ; fruit baccate or capsular. 

 Tropical plants, chiefly African, or Indian ; a 

 few are found in the West Indies and South 

 America. 



