254 AUNOIT ON SOUTH AFRICAN PLANTS. 



chocephohiSy in which the linear or setaceous petals are often 

 fringed with hairs at the apex. As to the separation of 

 Tylanthus from Phylica, the above notes will show that it is 

 not well-founded. 



15. The Celastrhiece follow; and before noticing them 

 especially, I may allude to Endlicher'B genera, in which the 

 principal character between these and IlicinecBJs made to con- 

 sist in the structure of the ovary, and in the minute embryo of 

 the latter and its superior radicle ; while in the former the em- 

 bryo is of considerable length and the radicle superior ; these 

 characters wereindeed indicated by Brongniart, (^Ann. Sc. Nat. 

 X. p. 329,) but he added others, such as the absence of a 

 disk in Ilicinea;, and the disposition of the corolla to become 

 monopetalous, which restricted the order almost entirely to 

 Ilex and Prinos. From my specimens of most of the Cape 

 genera, about which there can be no doubt as to the order to 

 which they belong, being almost universally destitute of fruit 

 and ripe seeds, I cannot be perfectly certain of the genus to 

 which they are referrible, but shall indicate such structural 

 differences as may be useful to others occupied with the Cape 

 Flora. But first, let me observe that Ecklon and Zeyher 

 have divided the genus Celastnis into several ; of the new 

 ones generic characters are given, but no new one is proposed 

 of the original genus, so that it isdifficult to say to what species 

 it is to be restricted, although by comparison of the others, 

 their Celastrus appears to include all the Linnean Celastri, 

 with a wingless capsule ; the other genera having either a 

 winged capsule or a drupe. But, however, simple as this 

 character may be, in practice it is almost useless, from the 

 usual absence of fruit, and similarity of habit of the whole 

 allied genera. Endlicher in his genera unites all (except 

 Asterocarpus, E. and Z., or more pi-operly Pterocelastrus 

 Meisn.) to El(£odendron, but such an union renders that 

 genus too polymorphous : he further divides Celastrus, as 

 proposed in the Prod. Fl. Penins. I. Or., so that all the Cape 

 Celastri (with the exception of C. pi/racant/ius, ov Putterlickm 

 pyracantha) will belong to Catha, Forsk., but in the generic 



