GEissoLOMACE.-E (Steplieus). 99 



and i alternating with them, the latter slightly shorter; filaments 

 free^ ligulate, rather shorter than tlie perianth ; aiitliers many 



rmies snorter tnan the likunent, ovoid, bilobed at the baso, erect, 

 versatile; connective scarcely manifest ; cells subintrorse, dehiscin^^ 

 longitudinally. Ovary free, sessile, superior, syncarpuus, 4-carpulTary, 

 4-celled ; cells alternatinij with the lobes of the calyx, each narrowly 

 winged ; style terminal, formed by the continuation and union of 

 the wings of the cells, pyramidal-acuminate, easily separable into 

 4 parts, and terminated by 4 very small stigmas, which alternate 

 with the calyx-lol^es. Ovules 2 in each cell, collateral, pendulous 

 from the apex, anatropous. Fruit a capsule^ 4-celled, dehiscing by 

 4 longitudinal sutures running down the wings of the cells. Seeds 

 by abortion solitary in each cell, ovate, subcompressed, smooth, 

 hanging from the top of the cell by a short fuuicle, furrowed at the 

 upper extremity between the hilum and the micropyle, and slightly 

 inllated on each side of the furrow ; albumen fleshy ; embryo central, 

 straight, almost as long as the albumen ; cotyledons long, linear, 

 fleshy; radicle superior, short, cylindrical, obtuse; plumule incon- 

 spicuous. 



A low shrub ; leaves decussate, sessile, entire, penuinerved, ovatej ex-itipulate, 

 silky-pilose in bud, soon glabrous ; tlowers apparently solitary, in reality in short 

 much reduced bracteate racemes, axillary along the upper twigs ; bracts 6, 

 decussate, persistent ; pedicels short, bracteolate or ebracteolate, 



DiSTRiB. Genus ] , monotypic. 



Differs from the Penxaceee by the estivation of the perianth, by the doubled 

 number of stamens, by the form of the anthers, and by the albuminous seed acd 

 embiyo with short radicle and long cotyledons. 



L GEISSOLOMA, Lindl. 



Characters as for the order. 



1. G. marginatum (A, Juss. in Ann. Sc. Xat. 3'^* ser. vi. 27, 



t. 4, fig, G) ; an erect shrub, 2-3 ft. high {Stephens) ; branches 

 4-angled and pilose to puberulous above, becoming terete and 

 glabrous lo^ver down; internodes lengthening lower down; leaves 

 imbricate on the younger parts, in bud ovate, acute, silky-pilose, 

 older leaves ovate or ovate-subcordate, acute to obtuse or obtuse- 

 mucronulate, margin thickened beneath, G-12 lin. long, 3-8 lin. 

 broad; bracts ovate, acute or acuminate, penninerved, margin 

 membranous, entire or fimbriate; first pair lateral, dorsally pilose, 

 1-1^ hn. long, second pair dor^ully pilose or glabrous, 2-3 lin. long, 

 third pair glabrous, 3-4 lin. long ; basal bracteolcs (where present) 

 sometimes coalesced ; perianth membranous ; segments ovate or 

 elliptical, subulate to cuspidate, with fine parallel nerves, pink, 

 5-6 lin, long, half as broad ; filaments obtusely angled on the inner 

 side, about 3 hn. long ; capsule 4-5 lin. long, sHghtly woody ; seeds, 

 2 lin. long, yellow. A.BG. in Prodr. xiv. 492 ; Sond. in Linnsea, xxiii. 

 105 ; Glhj in EngL d Franfl, Pflanzenfam. iii. 6 A, 207. Pen^a 

 marginata, Linn. Mant. Alt. 199; Thunb, FL Cap. ed. ScMt. 150.. 

 P. mncronata, Vent. Ilort, Malm, t 87, fg. I, flower onJij. 



H 2 



