15 i DIOSPYROS. No. 32 



-I 



size, and some varieties have them glaucous or pu- 

 bescent beneath. Buds smooth. 



Flowers lateral, extra axillary, solitary, nearly 

 sessile or on a short pedicel. Calix spreading persis- 

 tent, commonly 4 cleft, seldom 5 or 6 cleft, seg- 

 ments oval acute shorter than the Corolla, which is 

 yellowish, with as many segments as the calix, broad 

 ovate, acute. Diclinous blossoms on separate trees 

 or dioical, sometimes a complete flower occurs, in 

 which are as many stigmas as segments to the Calix, 

 and double the number of Stamina. The filaments 

 are short, free or inserted on the calix instead of the 

 corolla, depressed, anthers bilobe. One Pistil, ger- 

 men round, style very short, stigmas obtuse, spread- 

 ing. — Fruit a globular yellow berry, similar to a 

 plum, with a thin skin, fleshy pulp and many com- 

 pressed hard seeds. 



HISTORY — This genus amply evinces the ab- 

 surdity of the Linnean system, since hardly two spe- 

 cies of it have the same number of stamina. Linnaeus 

 put it In his class Polygamia; it is now put in Diot- 

 cia octandria^ although many species have 10 or 12 

 or 16 or 20 Stamina, and 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6 Styles or 

 Stigmas. It however belongs to a very natural family 

 the Ebenaceous. The w^hole genus appears to need 

 reform, and ought to be divided in many Sub Genera 

 or Genera, such as 



Diospyros to which D. Loius, Virglnianay &c. 



belong. 



Embriopteris (Gaertner) 20 stam. One cruciate 

 •tigma. 



