THEACEAE 793 



1. STUARTIA L. 



Shrubs, with upright branched stems. Leaves alternate, deciduous : blades membran- 

 ous, usually toothed. Flowers perfect, showy, solitary on short axillary peduncles. Sepals 

 mostly 5, slightly unequal, united at the base, persistent, relatively broad, subtended by 

 2 bractlets. Petals mostly 5, imbricated, cream-colored, silky throughout, crenulate, co- 

 herent at the base, deciduous. Stamens numerous in 3-4 series : filaments united into a 

 ring at the base : anthers introrse, versatile. Ovary 5-celled : styles 5, united : stigma 

 terminal. Ovules 2 in each cavity, ascending, anatropous. Capsule globular, hard-crus- 

 taceous, loculicidal. Seeds lenticular, with a thick crustaceous testa, marginless. Endo- 

 sperm fleshy. 



1. Stuartia Malacodendron L. A shrub 1-5 m. tall, its twigs, petioles, lower leaf- 

 sui-faces and the outer surfaces of the sepals and petals pubescent. Leaf-blades oval, ellip- 

 tic, or sometimes nearly ovate or obovate, short-acuminate and usually acute, sharply but 

 finely serrate, usually acute at the base, short-petioled : sepals ovate, about 1 cm. long, 

 acute : corolla 8-10 cm. broad : petals obovate, 3-5 cm. long, erose : filaments united into 

 a short tube at the base : styles united, surpassed by the stamens : capsule depressed-glo- 

 bose, 12-17 mm. in diameter, slightly apiculate, its angles very low. [S. Virginica Cav.] 



In woods and on hillsides, Virginia to Florida and Alabama. Spring. 



2. MALACHODENDRON Cav. 



Shrubs, resembling Stuartia in habit. Flowers perfect, showy. Sepals mostly 6, dis- 

 tinct, relatively narrow, persistent. Petals mostly 6, deciduous. Stamens numerous : fila- 

 ments distinct: anthers introrse. Ovary 5-celled: styles 5, distinct: stigmas somewhat 

 introrse. Ovules 2 in each cavity. Capsule slightly elongated, sharply 5-angled, termi- 

 nating in a stout beak. Seeds margined. 



1. Malachodendron pentdgynum (L'Her. ) Small. A shrub 1-5 m. tall, its petioles, 

 lower leaf-surfaces, outer surfaces of the calyx and corolla pubescent. Leaf-blades ovate, 

 oval or elliptic, 6-12 cm. long, usually acute and short-acuminate, finely but distantly and 

 often inconspicuously serrate, ciliate, varying from acute to subcordate at the base : sepals 

 5-6, narrowly oblong, 1-1.5 cm. long, obtuse : corolla 6-7 cm. broad : petals 5-6, obovate, 

 3-3.5 cm. long, erose: filaments distinct: styles distinct, about equalling the stamen in 

 length : capsule ovoid, 15-20 mm. long, pubescent, acuminate, with prominent, sharp 

 angles : seeds obovate, 7-8 mm. long, strongly rugose, winged. [Stuartia pentagijna L'Her. ] 



Along streams, chiefly in the mountains, Kentucky to Georgia. Spring and early summer. 



3. PRANKLI'nIA Marsh. 



Trees, with deciduous leaves, or sometimes shrubs. Leaves alternate : blades membran- 

 ous, entire or toothed : stipules wanting. Flowers perfect, showy, white, solitary, nearly ses- 

 sile. Sepals 5, very unequal, concave, silky, persistent, subtended by 2-4 bractlets. Petals 

 5, concave, nearly distinct, somewhat silky without, the inner the larger, deciduous. Sta- 

 mens numerous : filaments elongated, often united into 5 groups each adnate to one of the 

 petals : anthers versatile. Ovary 5-celled : styles slender, united : stigmas united into a 

 crenate disk. Ovules 6-8 in each cavity, pendulous. Capsule woody, blunt, loculicidally 

 5-valved from top to bottom and septicidually from the bottom. Seeds more or less flat- 

 tened, angled, with a woody testa. Endosperm wanting. 



1. Franklinia Alatamaha Marsh. A shrub or small tree, reaching a height of about 

 7 m. Leaf-blades obLmceolate or oblong-obovate, 6-15 cm. long, obtuse or acute, sharply 

 serrate, chiefly above the middle, deep green above, tomentose beneath, attenuate into short 

 petioles : sepals suborbicular, 12-14 mm. in diameter, silky, ciliate : corolla 7-9 cm. broad, 

 nearly sessile : petals obovate, somewhat crisped, rounded at the apex, silky without : fila- 

 ments distinct : capsule subglobose, 1.5-2 cm. in diameter, depressed at the apex : seeds 

 oblong, 12-14 mm. long, wingless. [Oordonia pit6escc7is L'Her. ] 



In low grounds, along the Altamaha River, near Ft. Barrington, Georgia. Spring. 



4. GORDONIA Ellis. 



Trees, with evergreen leaves, or sometimes tall shrubs. Leaves alternate : blades 

 leathery, toothed : stipules wanting. Flowers perfect, long-pedicelled. Sepals 5, unequal, 



