EPACRIDEiE. 535 



EPACRIDEJE. 



Calyx 5-partitus, (rarissime 4-part.) ssepe coloratus, 

 jpersistens. 



Corolla hypogyna, monopelala (tubo nunc 5-partihili), 

 limbo 5-diviso (rarissime 4-div;so), sequali, nunc 

 laciniis cohcerentibus clausa transversim dehiscens ; 

 sestivatione valvata v. imbricata. ; decidua v. mar- 

 cescens. 



Sfamina numero laciniarum, iisdemque alterna (raro 

 pauciora). Filamenta epipetala v. hypogyna. An- 

 therce simplices, receptaculo unico polhnifero, sep- 

 tum completum, raro marginatum constituente; in- 

 divisce, longitudinaliter dehiscentes. Pollen v. sub- 

 globosum parum augulatum, v. e sphoerulis 3 con- 

 natis compositum. 



Ouarium sessile, basi squamis 5 distinctis v. connatis 

 ssepius cinctum, pluriloculare (raro 1-locul.) se- 

 minibus solitanis v. indefinitis. Slylus 1. Stigmce 

 1, nunc dentatum. 



Pericarpium drupaceum, baccatum v. capsulare. 



Semina albuminosa. 



Emhryo teres, rectus, axilis, dimidio albumine longior. 



Frutices v. Arbusculce, pube dum adsit simplici. Folia 

 alterna, rarissime opposita, integra, (raro serrata,) 

 saepius petiolata v. basi simpliei; modo basibus la- 

 tioribus imbricatis, cucullatib, semivaginantibus. 

 Flores spicati v. racemosi terminales ; v. sohtarii 

 axillares ; ealycibus pedicellisve b;v. multi-bractea- 

 tis, bracteis plerumque textura calycis; albi v. pur- 

 purei, raro caerulej. 



Obs. Eiicearum familia nunc adeo vasta estut potius classem 

 quam ordin m constituere videatur, et jamdudum ejus- 

 dem aiteram paitem nec omnino naturalem solummodo ob 



aliquam 



