XXVI. STERCULIACEJ3 (MASTEUS). 215 



Calyx 4-6 M. Carpels 4-5 1. Stercuua. 



Laiyx 8-fid. Carpels numerous 2. Octolobus. 



Anthers in a single row, verticillate. Albumen wanting. 



Anthers 10-12. Fruit usually dehiscent 3. Cola. 



Anthers 5. Fruit iudehiscent 4. Hbritiera. 



Thibe II. Helicterese.— Flowers hermaphrodite. Petals 5, deciduous. Anthers 

 lo, celts divergent, alternating with small staminodia. 



Capsule 9tipitate, membranous, inflated 5. Kleinhovia. 



Tribe III. Dombeyece.— Flowers hermaphrodite. Petals usually persistent, flat. 

 Anthers 5-20, cells parallel. Staminodia 5. Capsule sessile. Cotyledons cleft. 



Bracelets caducous or none. Stamens 3, between each pair of sta- 



miuodes 6. Dombeta. 



Bractlets persistent. Stamens solitary between the staminodes . . 7. Melhania. 



Tribe IV. Hermatmiese. — Flowers hermaphrodite. Petals flat. Stamens 5, dis- 

 tinct. Staminodes none. Cotyledons entire. 



Ovules numerous. Embryo curved. 



Filaments dilated at the apex 8. Hermannia. 



filaments dilated in the middle 9. Maherma. 



Ovules 2 in each cell of the ovary. Embryo straight. 



Ovary 5-celled 10. Mei.ochia. 



Ovary 1-celled 11. Waltheria. 



Tribe V. Buettnerieae. — Flowers hermaphrodite. Petals concave, often with an 

 appendage at the apex. Anthers at the margins of a funnel-shaped staminal tube, be- 

 tween the staminodes. 



Anthers numerous, between the staminodes. 



Petals obovate, concave, exappendiculate. Anthers sessile. Sta- 

 minodia short, broad 12. ScAPHOPETALUM. 



Petals minute. Anthers on long filaments. Staminodia linear . 13. Leptonychia. 

 Anthers solitary between the staminodes 14. Buettneria. 



1. STERCUXIA, Linn.; Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. PI. i. 217. 



Flowers unisexual or polygamous. Calyx 4-5 -cleft or -parted, often 

 coloured. Petals 0. Column bearing 10-15 anthers in a capitate head. 

 Ovary 5-celled, each cell with 2-oo ovules. Styles consolidated ; stigmas 5- 

 lobed. Ripe carpels separate, spreading, woody or leathery, ultimately 

 splitting longitudinally, at other times thinner, membranous or subfoliaceous, 

 opening very early. Seeds 1 or several. Albumen splitting into 2 segments, 

 adherent to the cotyledons, and thus often assuming the appearance of the 

 cotyledons, the latter are flat and thin ; radicle directed towards the hilum 

 or away from it. — Trees with entire or lobed leaves. Flowers in axillary or 

 terminal panicles. 



A large genus whose specic9 arc most abundant in tropical Asia. Although there is a 

 general coincidence in habit and in the flowers, yet the fruits and the seeds are so variable 

 that by many they have been made the grounds for separation into distinct genera. The 

 drying position of the radicle with reference to the hilum particularly needs the study of 

 'he fresh specimens in all stages*of development. 



