Lacistema 



LACISTEMACE.E 



29 



Family III. LACISTEMACE^. 



Shrubs or small trees. Leaves alternate, distichous, shortly 

 stalked, penniveined, without stipules. Flower-spikes slender, 

 cylindrical, short, sessile, clustered in the axils. Bracts imbri- 

 cate, small, broad, concave. Bracteoles 2, at the base of the very 

 short pedicel, linear-subulate. Flowers hermaphrodite, solitary 

 under the bracts. Perianth of distinct, unequal segments. 



Fig. 4. Lacistema aggregatiim comb. nov. 



A, Leaves and spikes. 



B, Tip of spike. 



C, D. E, Front, side and l)aek view of a 

 flower from lower part of spike with 

 b. bract and br, bracteole. 



F, G, Front and side view of anther and 



pistil. 

 H, Frnits. 

 I, Section of fruit with seed. 



Disk somewhat fleshy. Stamen 1, on the disk. Anther at the 

 apex of a filament, of two distinct cells on the forked connective, 

 dehiscing longitudinally. Ovary superior in the centre of the 

 disk, with two or three short stigmas, 1-celled, with three parietal 

 placentas. Ovules one or two on each placenta, anatropous, 

 pendulous. Capsule ovoid or subglobose, dehiscing by three 

 valves. Seed solitary, pendulous. Embryo in the centre of, and 



