199 LOASACEAE. 200 



cula, concava, naviculariformia v. cucullata, sessilia v. unguiculata decidua, raro persistentia. Staminodia 

 nulla (Gronovia, Cevallia, Petalonyx, Sympetaleia, Mentzeliae spec.; v. obvia et cum petalis alternantia, nunc 

 petaloidea (Mentzeliae spec.j, nunc subulata et antheram cassam v. lobuliformcm gerentia (Sclerothrix, 

 Klaprothia), nunc squamiformia. squama singula e staminodiis plemmque 3, raro 4 v. 5 conflata, forma 

 valde varia, dorso filis saepius 3, raro 4 v. 5 nunc deficientibus notata, intus nectarigera et staminodiis 

 2 raro 4 filiformibus v. subulatis clausa (Kissenia, Loam, BlumenbacMa). Stamina raro defmita 2 v. 5 

 sepalis opposita (Gronovia, 'Cevallia, Petalonyx), plerumque indefinita 15 — oo, seriebus 1 v. pluribus nunc 

 continuis (Mentzelia), nunc ope staminodiorum interruptis, si epipetala tantum bene evoluta , ante antbesin 

 fasciculatim in petalorum concavitate sita, dein singulatim sese erigentia; filamenta cum petalis inserta, 

 rarissime tubo corollae adnata (Sympetaleia), filiformia; antherae ovatae oblongae v. lineares, nunc didy- 

 mae, biloculares. rarissime uniloculares (Sympetaleia), lateraliter v. paullo magis intus debiscentes , con- 

 nective vix conspicuo, nunc liguliformi-producto (CevalUa); pollinis granula ovalia v. ovali-elliptica 3-ri- 

 mosa. Ovarium inferum, rarissime semisuperum (Loasae spec-A 1-loculare, rarissime placentis connatis 

 sub-3-loculare, vertice libero saepe hispidum. Ovula solitaria et ab apice ovarii pendula v. plura v. 

 numerosa placentis parietalibus 1 — oo-seriatim affixa subhorizontalia v. pendula, anatropa, integumento 

 solitario, micropyle sursum v. lateraliter in angulum inter carpella et placentam spectante. Stylus sim- 

 plex, filiformis v. rigidus, plerumque per antliesin aecrescens, postremo interdum 3- v. 5-fidus; stigma nunc 

 punctiforme, nunc capitatum, nunc striis 3 v. 5, raro 6 crassis v, tenuibus, brevibus v. alte decurrentibus 

 papillosis notatum, Fructus aut parvus lignosus (Kissenia), coriaceus (Gronovia) v. cbartaceus (Petalonyx) 

 indehiscens v. irregulariter ruptus, aut capsula breviter obconica, globulosa, ovalis, turbinata usque linearis, 

 extrinsecus striata v. costata, recta v. dextrorsum sive sinistrorsum contorta. apice 3 — 6-valvis v. longitrorsum 

 secus strias dehiscens; placentae cum valvis alternantes, forma variae, Semina solitaria fructui conformia v. 

 pluria v, numerosa et forma, magnitndine. testae structura valde variabilia; albumen raro nullum, plerum- 

 que evolutum mediocre carnosum. Embryo rectus v. curvatus linearis oblongus, ovatus v. ovalis; cotyle- 

 dones pla no-con vexae v. transversim semiteretes; radicula brevis, mediocris v. raro elongata. 



Herbae, raro fratescentes , erectae v. voluhilcs, rarissime scandentes, indumento valde variabilis pilis 

 verticillatim glochidiatis crebcrrimis fere semper obviis, set is urentibus laevibns saepius adjectis, hinc Mine setnlis 

 brevibus rejlexis (in plantis volubilibus) instructae, raro pilos aut glanduUferos aut bipeirtitos ant biuncinatos 

 praebentes. Folia alterna v. opposita intcyra lobata pinnatipartita v. 2 — 3-pinnatifida. Stipulae mdlae. 

 Inflobescentiae variae, plerumque eymosae, raro racemosae v. ceipituliformes v. ab initio cincinnosae, pro- 

 phyllis evohtis. Cobolla albida, lutca v. varie rubra. 



Species cr. 120 Americam a civitatibus unitis septentrionalibus usque ad Brasiliam australem et Argentinam incolentes, 

 unica (Kissenia) tantum in Africa australi et in Arabia obvia. 



CONSPECTUS GENEKTJM BKASLLIENSIUM. 



A. Stamina 5, staminodia nulla. Ovarium 1-ovulatum. — Herbae setulis bi- 



uncinatis scandentes I. GRONOVIA Linn. 



B. Stamina plura v. oo, staminodia obvia. Ovarium pluri — oo-ovulatum. 



a. Flores 4-meri. Staminodia subulata apice incrassata v. antlieram cassam gerentia. 

 a. Calycis tubus turbinatus usque oblongo-linearis spiraliter tortus. Sta- 

 mina 4—14, staminodia 6—10 II. SCLEROTHRIX Presl. 



