THE FLOWERING NETTLE FAMILY. 883 



The Begonia Family. 



(Begoniace^.) 



Herbs or succulent-stemmed fruticuls ; erect or creeping, 

 like a rhizome, or sometimes with tuberous roots. Leaves 

 alternate, entire, lobed, palm.ate or digitate, their base always 

 oblique-cordate, smooth or villose ; often red or blotched of 

 "various colours. Flowers unisexual, 2 to 3 or more in an 

 umbellate form, or terminal in axillary spikes. Stamens 

 numerous. Stigmas 3, 2-lobed. Fruit a winged, membra- 

 nous, three-sided capsule, containing numerous small seeds. 



This family probably amounts to about 160 species. They 

 are found throughout tropical America and the East and 

 West Indies. It was long supposed none were native 

 of Africa, but within the last few years tropical Western 

 Africa has afforded several species. They do not possess 

 any peculiar qualities, but are highly ornamental hothouse 

 plants, about 100 species, and their varieties being known in 

 cultivation. The readiness with which they hybridize has 

 brought out many remarkable varieties, with singular 

 blotched leaves, some a foot or more in diameter. 



FLOWERING NETTLE AND EYENING PRIMROSE 

 ALLIANCE. 



The Flowering Nettle Family. 



(LOASACE^.) 



Small shrubs or herbs, annual or perennial, sometimes 

 twining climbers, having opposite alternate, simple, or cut 

 leaves, furnished with stinging hairs. Flowers solitary, on 

 axillary foot-stalks, generally yellow and showy. Petals 5 

 or 10, in two rows, often folded, hood-like. Stamens nu- 

 merous, in two rows, of different lengths, free or in bundles. 

 Pistil simple or divided. Fruit a dry or succulent capsule. 



Of this family about 70 species are known, all being 

 natives of Mexico and other warm parts of America. They 



