ZYGOPHYLLACEAE. 199 



Family 6. ZYGOPHYLLACEAE Lindl. 

 CALTROP FAMILY. 



Herbs, shrubs, or some tropical species trees, the branches often 

 jointed to the nodes. Leaves mostly opposite, stipulate, pinnate, or 2-3- 

 foliolate, the leaflets entire. Stipules persistent. Flowers perfect, axil- 

 lary, peduncled. Sepals usually 5, distinct, or united by their bases. 

 Petals the same number as the sepals, or none. Stamens as many as the 

 petals, or 2-3 times as many, inserted on the base of the receptacle, the 

 alternate ones sometimes longer; anthers versatile, longitudinally dehis- 

 cent; filaments usually with a small scale at the base or near the middle. 

 Ovary 4-12-celled; style terminal; stigma usually simple; ovules 1-nu- 

 merous in each cavity, pendulous or ascending. Fruit various. About 20 

 genera and 160 species, widely distributed in warm and tropical regions. 



Guaiacum officinale L., LIGNUM VITAE, "West Indian, a small tree with 

 evenly pinnate leaves of few broad leaflets, 1' 1-J' long, and large clusters of 

 blue flowers, is occasional in gardens. A tree at Pembroke Hall was about 30 

 high in 1913. 



Zygophyllum foetidum Schrad. & Wendl., BEAN CAPER, South African, a 

 low shrubby plant with 2-foliolate leaves, the obovate leaflets glabrous, the 

 nodding flowers axillary and solitary, is mentioned by Reade as growing in the 

 Public Park prior to 1883. 



Family 7. MALPIGHIACEAE Vent. 

 MALPIGHIA FAMILY. 



Shrubs or trees, or shrubby herbs, with erect or climbing stems. 

 Leaves mostly opposite, entire; stipules sometimes present. Flowers usu- 

 ally perfect, solitary or in terminal racemes, corymbs or umbel-like clusters. 

 Calyx of 5, usually imbricated, sepals. Corolla of 5 mostly equal clawed, 

 convolute petals, or rarely wanting. Stamens 5-10, perfect or partly 

 sterile ; filaments often united at the base ; anthers 2-celled, often with 

 enlarged connectives. Gynoecium of 2-4, or usually 3 carpels; ovary 1- 

 celled, sometimes crested. Ovules solitary in each cavity, nearly orthotro- 

 pous. Fruit of 2-3 pulpy or hard drupes, or sometimes capsular or nut- 

 like. Seeds pendulous; endosperm wanting; embryo with thick often un- 

 equal cotyledons. About 60 genera and 700 species, in warm and tropical 

 regions. Most of the species of Malpighia bear stinging hairs. 



Malpighia punicifolia L., FRENCH CHERRY, WEST INDIAN CHERRY, of 

 tropical America, a shrub, or small tree up to 15 high, with rather thin, ob- 

 Icng to obovate, obtuse, short-petioled leaves l'-3' long, axillary cymes of 

 small pink flowers, followed by scarlet or red drupes 5"-8" in diameter, 

 pleasantly acid and edible, is frequently grown in gardens. 



Malpighia setosa Spreng., recorded, with doubt, by Lefroy, has similar 

 flowers and fruit but its leaves are abruptly pointed, undulate-dentate, pubes- 

 cent beneath. It is native of Hispamola and not known in Bermuda now. 



Malpighia urens L., STINGING CHERRY, West Indian, recorded by Jones, 

 is also a shrub or a small tree, with oblong to obovate, entire leaves, pink 

 flowers, and edible, red fruits about 5" in diameter. 



Thryallis glauca (Cav.) Kuntze, PALE THRYALLIS, Central American, 

 seen in flower at Bellevue in 1913, is a slender shrub about 5 high, with 

 thin oblong, slender-petioled leaves 2V long or less, and racemose or narrowly 

 paniculate showy yellow flowers about f broad on slender pedicels, the fruit 

 3-lobed capsules 2 ; '-3" long. 



