356 
shaped like a horse-shoe, undivided, with the same direction as the seed. — Floating plants. 
Leaves with parallel veins. 
Affinities. This order is to Monocotyledons what Ranunculacese are to 
Polypetalous Dicotyledons, and is in hke manner recognised by its indefinite 
distinct carpels and hypogynous stamens ; from Butomacese it is known by 
the indefinite ovules of that order being scattered over the face of the cells. 
Juncaginacese, sometimes referred to Alismacese, appear nearer Aracese, and 
are distinguished by their depauperated floral envelopes, concrete carpels, 
and straight embryo having a lateral sht for the emission of the plumule. 
The plants belonging to Ahsmacese, Hydrocharacese, Fluviales, Juncaginacese, 
and Butomaceae, have all a disproportionately large radicle, whence the em- 
bryos of such were called by the late L. C. Richard, macropodal. 
Geography. Chiefly natives of the northern parts of the world. Seve«» 
ral Sagittarias and Actinocarpi inhabit the tropics, the former those of both 
hemispheres. 
Properties. All aquatic plants with a lax tissue, and many with a fleshy 
rhizoma, which is eatable ; such are Alisma and Sagittaria : a species of the 
latter is cultivated for food in China. The herbage is acrid. Alisma Plantago 
is one of the plants recommended in hydrophobia. Agdh. 
GENERA. 
Sagittaria, L. Actinocarpus, R. Br. Hydromystria, Meyer. Hydrogeton, Pers. 
Alisma, L. Damasonium, Juss. Ouvirandra, Pet. Th. 
Alliance V. JUNCALES. 
Essential Character. — Flowers somewhat glumaceous. 
Order CCLIV, JUNCE^. The Rush Tribe. 
JuNCi, Juss. Gen. (1789), inpart. — Junceae, DC. FI. Fr. 3. 155. (1815) ; R. Brown Prodr. 
257. (1810); DC. and Duty, 474. (1828); Lindl. Synops. 273. (1829). — Juncace.®, 
Agardh Aphor. 156, (1823 ), in part. 
Essential Character. — Flowers hermaphrodite or unisexual. Calyx and corolla 
forming an inferior, 6-parted, more or less glumaceous perianth. Stamens 6, inserted into 
the base of the segments ; sometimes 3, and then opposite the calyx. Anthers 2-celled. 
Ovary 1- or 3-celled, 1- or many-seeded, or 1 -celled and 3 -seeded. Style 1. Stigmas gene- 
rally 3, sometimes only 1. Fruif capsular, with 3 valves, which have the dissepiment in 
their middle, sometimes destitute of valves, and 1 -seeded by abortion. Seeds with a testa, 
which is neither black nor crustaceous ; albumen firm, fleshy, or cartilaginous ; embryo 
within it, R. Br. (1810) — i?er6aceoM5 plants, with fascicled or fibrous roots. Leaiies fis- 
tular, or flat and channelled with parallel veins. Inflorescence often more or less capitate. 
Flowers generally brown or green. 
Affinities. This order, in its most genuine state, may be said to stand 
between Petaloideous and Glumaceous Monocotyledons, agreeing with the 
former in the floral leaves having assumed the verticillate state necessary to 
constitute a perianth, and with the latter in their texture. But while a glu- 
maceous confused calj-rx and corolla are the characteristic of one part of the 
order, another ^art, approaching Liliacese, assumes a petaloid state ; so that 
little is finally left to separate Juncacese from the latter, except the difference 
in the testa of their seed. Brown remarks that Juncaceae are intermediate 
between Restiacese and Asphodeleae, difibring from the former in having an 
