136 COMBRETACEJE. (COMBRETUM FAMILY.) 
ORDER 54. COMBRETACEZ/E. (CowsnETUM FAMILY.) 
Tropical trees or shrubs, with entire exstipulate leaves, and axillary 
spiked or capitate flowers. — Calyx-tube coherent with the 1-celled, 2 — 5- 
ovuled ovary ; the limb 4 — 5-cleft, mostly deciduous. Petals 4 — 5, often 
wanting. Stamens 4— 15, inserted with the petals on the calyx. Style | 
slender: stigma simple. Fruit drupaceous or baccate, or dry and indehis- 
cent, often winged. Seed solitary, suspended, anatropous, without albu- 
men. Cotyledons convolute or variously folded. i 
1. LAGUNCULARIA, Gart. 
Flowers in spikes. Calyx-tube obconical, the limb 5-parted, obtuse, persist- 
ent. Petals 5, minute. Stamens 10. Style subulate; stigma capitate. Ovary 
l-celled, 2-ovuled. Drupe coriaceous, cuneate-obovate, compressed, angled, 
I-seeded. Seeds germinating in the drupe. Cotyledons convolute. Radicle 
elongated. — Maritime shrubs, with opposite elliptical smooth and fleshy leaves, 
on biglandular petioles, and small flowers, in simple or compound axillary and 
terminal spikes. 
1. L. racemosa, Gert. Spikes erect, rigid, hoary-tomentose, the lateral | 
ones solitary, the terminal ones in threes, simple or branched ; flowers scattered; 
ealyx-tube obconical, furrowed, wing-angled in fruit.— South Florida. June 
to Aug. — A shrub or small tree, with the habit of the Mangrove. 
2. L. glabriflora, Presl. Spikes spreading, slender, smooth, the lateral 
ones in pairs, the terminal ones in threes or fours; flowers minute, crowded, 
deciduous ; calyx-tube cup-shaped, terete, even, with two opposite bractlets ap- 
pressed to sides.— Banks of the Manitee River, South Florida, Rugel. June.— 
Perhaps a sterile form of the preceding. 
: 2. CONOCARPUS, Gert. 
Flowers densely crowded in a globular head. Calyx-tube about as long as 
the compressed 2-ovuled ovary; the limb 5-cleft, deciduous. Petals none. Sta - 
mens 5-10, exserted. Anthers cordate. Fruit coriaceous, scale-like, closely 
imbricated and indehiscent. Cotyledons convolute. — Trees or shrubs, with 
alternate entire and somewhat fleshy leaves. Heads of flowers spiked or panicled. 
TE erecta, Jacq. Branchlets angular, smooth ; leaves smooth, oblong 
or lanceolate, acute or acuminate, narrowed into a biglandular petiole ; heads of 
flowers sessile, or on short and spreading pedicels; cone of fruit ries 7 
SERICEA, DC. Branches, leaves, and panicles silky and hoary; lowest leaves - 
mostly obovate and obtuse or emarginate ; imd one tape senaat 
Tampa Bay, Flori i 
