r _ 



G YMNOSPERME^.. 



Ordo CLX[V. GNSTACEJE. 



Eiidl. Gen. 202. Lindl Veg. Kin^a. 232. 



Flares nnisexnales, Sfej>ius dioici, intra bracteas oppositas v. raritis tcruatini verticillatas 

 sessiles, in spicas donsas araentif<.>rmes v. interruptas dispositi, Fl. ^ : rcr'tanthlum 

 tubiiloso-clavatum v. laxum, apice valvatim 2-lobuin v. iino latere fissum. Staminum 

 filamenta in columnam v. tubum coalita ; antherse ad apicem columnpe v. tubi 2-8. sessiles 

 V. breviter stipitatae, subglobosag, 1-3-loc-iilares, vertice poris v. rimis brevibus 1-3 

 dehiscentes. OvuJtnn centrale sterile v. 0. Fl. $ : OvuU nucleus utriculo duplici v. 

 triplici inclusus; exterior (periantbium ?) carnosulus v. membranaceo-fibrosusi, apice 

 foramine parvo pervius ; interior (ovuli integumentum ?) membranaceus, nucloo brjviter 

 demum altius adnatus, superne liber, supra nucleum in tubum longum tenuem e for.imine 

 perianthii exsertuiu productus ; intermedius dam adsit exteriore inclusus. A^tcleus 

 centralis, ovoideus v. oblongo-conicus, obtusus, apice pollen excipiens, intus ante 

 fo3cundationem solidus v. centro obscure cavus, post fcecundationem saccos amnioticos 

 1-2 continens. Fructus nunc drupaceus ovoideus v. oblongus, nunc niembranaceo- 

 compressus, pericarpio duplici v. simplici ex utriculo exteriore formaio. Semen ercctiuu, 

 testa ex utriculo iuteriorc cum strato exteriore nuclei formata, tubulo persistente s?epe 

 coronata. Albumen tenue v. crassiusculum. Fmhryo rectus, albumine parum brevius, 

 cotyledonibus sibimet applicitis radicula vix v. midto brevioribus. 



Frutices rarius arbores, opposite foliati v. squamati v. ad truncum obconicum supra 

 planum reducti. Folia v. sr|uam?e dum adsint basi sicpius connata, ramis ad nodes 

 Sfepissinie articulatis ; stipulse 0. Spicic axillares v. termiuales, nunc bractearum paribus 

 arete approximatis v. imbricatis amentiformes, nimc paribus distantibus interniptae. 

 Flores intra bracteas nunc utrinque solitarii, ad nodos oppositi, nunc cc, 1-cc-seriatiui 

 verticillati. Staminum columufc et ovulorum tubube ultra bracteas prominula?. 



Species ad 40, plci-aeque tropica?, tain Aiiiericanae qiiam gerontogoie, paucje in rogionibus tempcratis 

 utriusijue orbis cxtensae. 



Onlo distinctissimus, olim Conifcris adjunctus, a botinieis recentioribus iis rite approximatus et 

 char.icteribus certis separatus. 



CONSPECTUS GENEltUM. 



1. AVelwitschia. Truncus lignosus, hiunilis, crassiis, longiievus, supra pUno-truncalus, 

 prseter cotjledones longc accretas patentes aplijllus. Spicce utriusque sexus imbricjitjp, stroU- 

 liformes, imiltiflora% ad margines triinei panienU\tse. — Afr. trop., aifstro-occid. 



2. Epukdua. Frutices nphylli, rauiis aniculatis, squnniis ad nodos oppositis in vaginulan'i 

 connatis. Spic.ip in axillis podunculatse v. ad apices ramorum paiitculatnp, J imbrioata' floribiis 

 in omnibus axillis oppositi?, $ 1-2-flor.f, sqnamis inforioribus laxi.s vacuis. — AVr. ai'.sfr., TicOt 

 Mediierr., Asia et Amer, trop. et temp. 



3. Gnktum. Frutices rarius arbores, oppositifolii, ramis nodosls. Spicse densa; v. interrupte, 

 axillares v. paniculatse, fluribus intra cupulam e squamis oppositis connatis oc p.scudoTertieil* 

 latis. — Asia, Africa et Amcr, intra tropicos. 



VOL, III. . E B 



