anum 



THE DEHISCENCE OF ANTHERS BY APICAL TORES- 215 



Melastomataceous Type. 

 In the Melastomataceous type, the Melastomataceae need 

 not engage our attention here. We have already noticed 

 the similarity of floral structure in the Melastomataceae. 

 The floral structure is quite unique and a comparison with 

 groups to which it is more or less closely related is not 



possible in this place. 



The essential struct — . <. 



Cassia type and the Melastomataceous type seems to be the 

 length of the filaments. The long filaments make possible 

 the highly organized anthers found in the latter. The 

 structure "of the flowers need not be redescribed here. The 

 essential similarities may be gathered from any series of 

 descriptions or plates of the genera of this family, while the 

 minor details are too numerous and perplexing for consid- 

 eration 



The species from other families which have been as- 

 signed to this type are very few. Storckiella is the only 

 genua of the Cassieae with elongate filaments. Maximil- 



noreuxia of the Bixaceae have the form of 

 anther which is so frequently seen in this type and long, 

 filiform filaments. The stamens are more numerous than 

 is usually seen in the Melastomataceae. The Bixaceae 

 comprises four genera belonging to three tribes. The first 

 contains the unique Bixa, the second Maximiliania and 

 Amoreuxia and the third Sphaerosepalam, exhibiting nu- 

 merous stamens with long, filiform filaments and nearly 

 Globose, dorsifixed, versatile anthers dehiscing by lougitu- 



iania and A 



dinal slits. The structure of the two genera which I 

 have assigned to this type is, then, quite unique in this 



family. 



As I have insisted above, the limitation between the 



Solanum-Cassia and the Melastomataceous type is not a 

 sharp one and it may be that such forms as Gheiranthera 

 of the Pittosporaceae and Exacum of the Gentianaceae 

 would have been best treated under this type. Here, a 



