DATISCACEAE

family of the begonia order (Begoniales) of flowering plants, with three genera. The two species of Octomeles, among the tallest trees in the ebony forests of Malaysia, and Tetrameles nudiflora, a tree from south-central Asia, have male and female blooms on separate trees. Datisca cannabina, which is found from the Mediterranean eastward to Central Asia, is a hemplike plant, 2 m (7 feet) high, that has three to seven alternate, toothed leaflets. The female plants have sprays of yellow flowers, and a yellow dye is derived from the roots. Durango root (D. glomerata), native in coastal ranges of southwestern North America, grows to 1.25 m tall and has deeply cut leaves and inconspicuous flowers.