mi'bs. Leaves alternate, Biitire, often dotted. Flowers race 
mose. Calyx 4 or 5 parted. Stameiis indefinite, or equal in 
number to the segmenis of the perianth and alternate with 
them. Ovary consisting of one or several carpels, distinct oi 
combined ; styles and stigmas the same in number as the carpels. 
Fruit baccate, or dry. Seeds solitary, erect or ascending ; efinr 
hryo straight, or curved round mealy albumen. 
a. Properties: acrid and emetic. 
Genera. — Riviiia, Phytolacca. 
503. Chenopodiaoe^, the Goose-foot Tribe. — Herbs or imder- 
shrubs. Leaves usually alternate. Calyx persistent, some- 
times tubular at the base. Stamens inserted into the base of 
the perianth, opposite its segments and equal to them in num- 
ber, or fewer. Ova/ry free, 1-celled. Fruit membraneous or 
fleshy. Seeds erect or resupinate ; embryo curved or coiled 
round farinaceous albumen, or spiral without albumen. 
a. Properties: common weeds or sea-side plants; some are used as pot-herbs; a 
few have esculent roots. 
Geneka. — Salicornia, Atriplex, Aciiida, Spinacia, Blitum, Beta, Kochia, Cheno 
podium, Salsola, Corispermum, 
504. Amahantaok^, the Amaranth Tribe. — Llerbs or shrubs. 
Z^^'y^^ opposite or alternate. Flowers in heads or spikes. Ca 
lyx of 3-5 sepals, scarious, persistent, usually with two bract 
lets at the base. Stamens 5 and opposite the sepals, or some 
multiple of that number, distinct or united. Ovary single, 1 
ceilled. Fruit a utricle or caryopsis. Seeds pendulous ; erur 
hryo curved around farinaceous albumen. 
a. Properties: mucilaginous, emollient. 
Genera. — Philoxerus, Gomphrena, Poljcneraum, Achjranthea, Amaranthus, 
Celosia, Siphonychia. 
505. NYCTAGiNACEiE, the MirobiUs Tribe. — Herbs or shrubs. 
Leaves usually opposite, often unequal. Flowers involuerate. 
Calyx tubular, colored, contracted in the middle, indurated at 
the base ; limb entire or toothed, plicate in lestivation, decidu- 
ous. StameTis 1-20. Ova/ry superior, 1-celled. Fruit a cary- 
opsis inclosed within the base of the indurated calyx. Embryo 
coiled round farinaceous albumen. 
Genera. — Boerhaavia, Mirabilis, Allionia. 
506. Polygon ACE^, the Buckwheat Tribe. — Herbs. Leaves 
alternate, stipules sheathing round the stems above the leaves. 
Calyx free, often colored, imbricated in aestivation. Stame/ns 
definite, inserted on the bottom of the calyx. Ovary free 
usually formed by the adhesion of three carpels. Fruit a nut, 
usually triangular. Seeds erect ; emoryo inverted, generally on 
one side, rarely in the axis, of farinaceous albumen. 
a. Properties : astringent and acid. 
Genera. — Erigonum, Oxyria, Rheum, Polygonum, Calligonum, Rumex, Brunnichia 
