Elatinaceæ

[Gr. elate, a fir; the leaves resembling those of the fir-tree.] ( Bot.) The Water-pepper family, an order of plants, alliance Rutales. DIAG. With a many-seeded fruit, which is finally apocarpous, and polypetalous flowers. The flowers are small and axillary; sepals and petals 3-5; the latter, as well as the stamens, being hypogynous. The fruit is capsular, 3-5-celled; the placentation axile. The styles 3-5; stigmas capitate. The seeds are numerous and exalbuminous. The plants of this small order are scattered all over the world. They are generally considered acrid. The order includes 6 genera and 22 species. El'atine, n. (Bot.) The typical genus of the order Elatinaceæ, q. v.