My ricacese/ Platan eae, Altingiacese, and Chloranthaceae. 105 



its inflorescence, and possibly also from Dr. Blume having re- 

 garded the barren stamens of the female flowers as sepals ; but 

 as all gradations of transition occur between them and the per- 

 fect stamens (giving to the genus in some degree a polygamous 

 character), their real nature becomes obvious. A peculiar mode 

 of dehiscence in which the ovary separates from the tube of the 

 calyx, has also, not improbably, occasioned the epigynous cha- 

 racter of the flower to become so doubtful as not to deserve 

 attention. Mr. Grifiith has, however, shown that it very nearly 

 approximates Sedgwickia among the Hamamelidese ; and in the 

 following details some further agreement in structure will be 

 found between it and that family, especially with Bucklandia and 

 the genera with numerous ovules, and of which, if separated, 

 it should undoubtedly be regarded only as a section. 



Trees with alternate leaves; stipules deciduous. Flowers in 

 dense capitula, monoecious, or less frequently polygamous. 

 Males in cylindrical or oval catkins consisting entirely of 

 stamens without any bractese or scales, except those forming 

 the involucre ; the stamens in the elongated catkins some- 

 times 3 or 4 or more together, as if the flower were pentan- 

 drous ; otherwise attached irregularly, being placed anterior, 

 posterior, or sideways relatively to the rachis. Females in 

 globular heads, surrounded by an involucre of 4-6 leaves. 

 Calyx tubular, enclosing the ovary, to which it is firmly ad- 

 herent, as far as to the base of the styles, with scarcely any 

 limb, but having a shallow, somewhat lobed rim, which pro- 

 bably represents the glandular disk occurring in Hamameli- 

 dese, although it is sometimes so faintly marked as to be 

 scarcely apparent ; tubes of the calyces of the different flowers 

 firmly adherent to each other so as to form a compact globular 

 mass. Barren stamens of the female flowers 4 or 5, some- 

 times increased to 8 or 9, attached to the rim of the calyx ; 

 consisting either of dense cellular tissue only, which from com- 

 pression occasions them to resemble sepals, or containing four 

 small cavities, with or without pollen ; when containing pollen, 

 becoming occasionally dehiscent at the sides. Ovary inferior, 

 its cavities rarely projecting above or so high as the attachment 

 of the barren stamens (the thickened styles only being seen 

 above the indented edge of the calyx, on which the barren sta- 

 mens are inserted) ; 2-celled, the carpels anterior and posterior 

 relatively to the axis, very rarely right and left ; occasionally 

 1 -celled, and consisting only of a single carpel, which is then 

 anterior, rarely lateral. Ovules numerous, covering the sur- 

 face of broad placentae, suspended, amphitropal, having the 

 raphe next the placenta. Seed winged laterally {i. e. not in 



