74 IX. cappakidack^; (oliver). 



when present, minute or represented by short spines. Flowers axillary or 

 terminal, solitary racemose corymbose fascicled or umbellate, often showy. 



A large family. of tropical and subtropical countries of both hemispheres. Of the eleven 

 genera represented in tropical Africa, four are common to Asia and America, two to Asia 

 and Africa only, while five are peculiar to Africa and the Mascarene Islands. 



Fruit a siliquiform (linear, oval or ellipsoidal) capsule with 2 valves 

 separating from a persistent replum. Sect. Cleomeae. 



Stamens inserted upon the torus 1 • Cleome. 



Stamens inserted upon the gynophore 2. Gynandropsis. 



Fruit various, usually indehiseeut, baccate (in few species at length de- 

 hiscent, without a septum). Sect. Capparea. 

 Sepals coherent ; the calyx transversely ruptured on expansion. 



Petals '. 3. Thylachium. 



Sepals connate below in a tube ; lobes free. 



Calyx-lobes 4, valvate ; tube infundibuliform or tubular. Petals 



4 or 4. M.ERUA. 



Calyx-lobes 3 (rarely 4-2), valvate ; tube short. Petals 0. Ovary 



fusiform 5. Courbonia. 



Sepals free (or very shortly connate below), open imbricate or 

 valvate, in one or two series. 

 Torus with a tubular or ligulate appendix. 



Sepals in two series ; the outer pair enclosing the inner in 



bud. Stamens 4-5. Leaves simple 6. Cadaba. 



Torus with a linear appendix, terminating in minute knobs. 

 Sepals open in aestivation. Stamens 5-7. Leaves 3- 



foliolate 7- Euadenia. 



Torus without an appendix. 



Sepals 4, valvate; equal. Petals 0. Stamens 6-20. Leaves 



simple 8. Boscta. 



Sepals 4, imbricate or valvate, in one or two series, equal or 

 unequal (apparently 2 sepals in sect. Petersia). Petals 4. 



Leaves simple. Branches often spinose 9. Cai'PARIS. 



Sepals 4, open in (estivation. Petals 4, with a distinct claw. 



Trit'oliolate, unarmed 10. CraxEVA. 



Sepals 4, valvate. Petals 4-co. Leaves 3-5-foliolate or 



simple 11. Kitchiea. 



1. CLEOME, Linn. ; Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. PI. i. 105. 



(Polanisia, Uafn. ; Benth. el Hook.f. I.e. 106.) 



Sepals 4, ovate, lanceolate, linear or subulate, free or coherent below, de- 

 ciduous or persistent. Petals 4, equal or unequal, clawed or sessile, entire or 

 nearly so, imbricate convolute or open in aestivation. Stamens 4-20, all or 

 two or more anther-bearing, often unequal and more or less declinate, inserted 

 upon the torus, free or very shortly coherent at the base. Ovary sessile or 

 stipitate, 1-celled ; ovules indefinite on two parietal placentas ; style various 

 or 0. Capsule linear, oval or ellipsoidal, sessile or stipitate, 1-celled, with 

 membranous or rather coriaceous valves separating from a persistent, replu" 1 - 

 Seeds indefinite, reniform or globose-reniform, glabrous or pilose, smooth or 

 variously rugose ; cotyledons incurved or circinate. — Herbs or shrubs, rare v 

 subarborescent, glabrous, glandular, scabrous or aculeolate. Leaves sirnpl e 

 or 3-7-foliolate ; leaflets entire or serrulate. Flowers racemose or solitary 

 and axillary, white yellow or purplish.—DiajUhera, Kl. in Peters' Mossam"- 



