183 
Order CXXXII. LACISTEMACE^. 
Lacisteme^, Martins N. G.etSp. PI. 1. 154. (1824). 
Essential Character. — Calyx in several narrow divisions, inferior, covered over by a 
.dilated bract. Corolla wanting. Stamens hypogynous, standing on one side of the ovary 
with a thick 2-lobed connective, at the apex of each of whose lobes is placed a single cell of 
an anther, bursting transversely. Ovary superior, seated in a fleshy disk, 1 -celled, with 
several ovules attached to parietal placentae ; stigmas 2 or 3, sessile or on a style. Fruit 
capsular, 1 -celled, splitting into 2 or 3 valves, each of which bears a placenta in its middle. 
Seed usually, by abortion, solitary, suspended, with a fleshy aril ; integument crustaceous ; 
albumen fleshy ; embryo inverted, with plane cotyledons and a superior straight cylindrical 
radicle. — Small trees or shrubs. Leaves simple, alternate, with stipules. Flowers disposed 
in clustered axillary catkins. 
Affinities. Von Martins, the founder of this order, which he divides 
from Urticacese, speaks of it thus : “ The peculiar character consists in the 
^presence of a distinct perianth, while the amentaceous inflorescence is an in- 
dication of an affinity with apetalous orders of a lower grade.” The same 
botanist indicates its affinity with Chloranthacese in the structure of the fila- , 
ment, and with Sarny daceae in that of the fruit, “ the monadelphous stamens 
of both which may be perhaps considered a higher kind of evolution of the 
fleshy disk in the bottom of the flower of Lacistema.” In habit they are 
said to be something like Piperaceae, but more arborescent. 
Geography. Natives of low places in woods in equinoctial America. 
Properties. Unknown. 
GENERA. 
Lacistema, Mart. 
Nematospermum, Rich. 
Group II. 
Essential Character. — Neither calyx nor corolla present. 
To this there is no exception. Euphorbia among syncarpous polypetalous 
plants, agrees technically with the character ; but as the student will find no 
order in this place with which that genus corresponds, he will easily discover 
that it has no station here, but is a deteriorated state of some polypetalous 
order. 
Alliance I. PIPERALES. 
Essential Character. — Carpels either solitary, or if more than one quite distinct. 
■ Flowers in spikes. Embryo always very minute in the base of fleshy albumen. 
Order CXXXIII. CHLORANTHACE.^. 
Chloranthe.®, R. Brown in Bot. Mag. 2190. (1821) ; Lindl. Collect. Bot. 17. (1821) ; 
Meyer de Houttuynia otque Saurureis, 51. (1827) ; Blume Flora Javw, (1829.) 
Essential Character. — Flowers naked, spiked, hermaphrodite, or unisexual, with 
a supporting scale. Stamens lateral; if more than 1, connate, definite; awf Am 1 -celled, 
