*

A  small  family  of  marsh  and  water  plants,  chiefly  insignifi-
cant weeds.  Flowers  small  and  often  incomplete,  parts  in  twos
or  fours.  The  Water  Milfoil  {Myriophyllum)  and  Mare's
Tail  {Hippitria)  belong  to  this  order.  The  only  species
worthy  of  further  notice  here  is  of  very  distinct  and  peculiar
habit,  as  will  be  seen  from  the  cut.
1.  GtTNNERA.
Herbs  with  large  radical  leaves.  Flowers  in  dense  spikes  or
branched  panicles.     About  twelve  species  are  known,  nearly


Halorage^ — Gunnera.  J93

all  south  of  the  equator,  in  Africa,  America,  AuBtmlia,  and
the  Antarctic  Islands.  So  nMned  in  honour  of  a  Swedish
botanist.
1.  G.  Bci^a  (fig.  102). — This  is  remarkable  for  its  large
Rhubarb-like  leaves  with  prickly  petioles,  and  the  large  club-


shaped  spike  of  innumerable  small  flowers  of  a  reddish  tinge.
A  native  of  Chili,  requiring  slight  protection  in  severe  weather.
Okder  XLTV.-MTRTiCEa!.
This  vast  order  furnishes  us  with  very  few  hardy  subjects ;
in  fact,  not  a  single  species  that  will  withstand  the  climate
throughout  the  kingdom.  It  includes  about  seventy-five
genera  and  some  2,000  species,  all  of  which  are  shrubby  or
arborescent.  They  are  especiftlly  abundant  in  South  America
and  Australia,  The  Gum-trees  {Eucalyptus)  of  tlie  latter
country  number  nesirly  150  species.  Some  of  the  slower-
growing  kinds  may  prove  hardy  in  this  coimtry,  but  most  of
.-  them  grow  so  rapidly  and  make  so  much  wood  in  one  season
that  it  does  not  ripen,  and  is  cut  back  by  frost.  One  slow-
growing  species  {E.  piUvei'uUnta)  was  formerly  represented  in
Kew  Gardens  by  a  specimen  about  30  feet  high,  which  must


194  Myrtacece — Myrtus.
