624 



BOTANY 



PART II 



two-ranked, j>etiolate leaves, the stipules of which are soon shed. The leaves, 

 which have a serrate margin, are asymmetrical. The inflorescence (Fig. 675 A) 

 is coherent with a bract for half 

 its length ; this serves as a wing 

 in the distribution of the fruit. 

 A second bract at the base pro- 

 tects the axillary bud, which will 

 expand in the succeeding season. 

 Below tin- terminal flower are 

 three small hracteoles ; the low- 

 est of these is sterile while the 

 two upper ones have single 

 flowers in their axils. Each of 

 these flowers lias a pair of bracte- 

 oles which serve as the subtend- 

 ing leaves for further branching. 

 The umbel-like inflo'rescence of 

 the Lime is thus composed of 

 dichasia ; TIJin platyphyllot lias 



r, 



074. Tiliaceae. Floral diagram 

 (Tilia). (After EICHLER.) 



A 



Kx;. ii75. Til i ulnii/olia. A, Inflorescence (a), with 

 bract '< (nat. size). If, Longitudinal section of 

 frnit (magnified); u, pericarp; p, atrophied dissepi- 

 ment and ovule ; </, seed ; r, endosperm ; s, embryo ; 

 t, its radicle. (After BERG and SCHMIDT.) 



3-7, T. parvifolia 11 or more flowers in the inflorescence. The hairy ovary has two 

 ovules in each of its tive loculi. The fruit only contains one seed (Fig. 675 2?). 



Family 2. Sterculiaceae ( 32 ). Tropical herbs, shrubs, or trees, 

 with simple leaves and deciduous stipules. 

 Flowers with a gamosepalous calyx. Corolla 

 twisted in the bud. Stamens coherent to form 

 a tube ; the antisepalous stamens are stamin- 

 odial, the antipetalous stamens are often in- 

 creased in number. Anthers extrorse. 



'^sas^sst^ 



\ ;. r,76. -Sterculiaceae. IMPORTANT GENERA. The most important plant is 



Floral diagram (Then- . . . _, , -. -r.- - ,..t~x T^ 



bra*,,). <Aft.T EICHLEK.) the Gocoa tree (Theobroma Cacao, Pigs. 6/6, 6/0- It 



is a native of tropical Central and South America, but 



has long been cultivated. The increasing demand has led to its being grown with 

 more or less success in many tropical colonies. It is a low tree with short-stalked, 

 firm, brittle, simple leaves of large size, oval shape, and dark green colour. The 

 young leaves are of a bright red colour, and, as in many tropical trees, hang limply 



