16 . IT. DTLLENIACEiE 



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i 



OkderIL dilleniace^. 



Sepals usually 5, persistent, imbricate in tlie bud. Petals 5 or rarely 

 fewer, deciduous, imbricate in the bud. Stamens liypogj^nous, indefinite, few 

 or numerous, or rarely definitely 10, free or rarely united in clusters. Anthers 

 innate or adnate. Gynoecium of carpels several, free and distinct or cohering 

 at the base, or rarely single and excentrical, 1-celled, with 1 or more ovules 

 in each. Styles quite distinct and diverging. ¥ruit-carpels either indehis- 

 cent and succulent, or opening along tlie inner edge, or in two valves. Seeds 

 furnished with an arillus ; testa crustaceous. Embryo very small, at the base 

 of a fleshy albumen. — Trees, shrubs, climbers, or herbs. Leaves alternate or 

 very rarely opposite. Stipules minute or none, ^lowers usually yellow or 

 white. 



A considerable Order, of which rather the larger portion, with regularly pinnate veins pro- 

 minent on the under side of the leaves, is entirely tropical, and represented in Australia by a 

 single species of Wormta. The remainder of the Order, forming the tribe Hibbertiet^e, with 

 the midi'ih of the leaf alone prominent, or rarely with reticulate veins, is almost entirely ^ 

 Australian, there being besides only one species known from New Caledonia and two from 

 Madagascar. 



Anthers elongated, opening in two pores at the top. Trees with large 



leaves, with raised parallel veins uiidei'ncath .•••.*• 1, Wokmia. \ 



Anthers opening longitudinally, Undershrubs, shrubs, or rarely climbers. 

 Leaves with a prominent midrib and obscure or reticulate veins. 

 . Perfect stamens free or nearly so, more than 10, or, if fewer, oa one 



side of the pistil 2. Hibbertia. 



Stamens united in 5 clusterSjOr in 3 clusters with two separate stamens 3. Candollea. 

 Perfect stamens 10 or fewer, in a complete ring round the pistil. 



No staminodia within the perfect stamens 4. Adrast.^a. 



Two staminodia within the perfect stamens. Branches leafless . . 5. Pachynema, 



1. WORMIA, Eottb. 



Sepals 5, spreading. Petals 5. Stamens numerous, with erect linear an- 

 thers opening at the summit in two pores, the inner ones often longer and 

 recurved. Cai-pels 5 to 10^ scarcely cohering, with several ovxdes in each, 

 dehiscent when ripe. Seeds with an arillus. — Trees often very lofty. Leaves 

 large, with raised parallel veins diverging from the midrib, the petioles often 

 bordered with narrow deciduous wings. Flow^ers large, in loose terminal 

 panicles* 



A tropical genus, exteudinj; over tropical Asia and the Indian Archipelago, with one 

 Madagascar species. The only Australian one is endemic. 



1. W. alata, Tt. Br. in DC. Sj/st. Veg, i. 434. Glabrous, or the young 

 parts very sh'ghtly hoary. Leaves oval or nearly orbicular, rounded at both 

 ends, 4 to 8 in. long, entire or slightly sinuate, rather rough to the touch, 

 WHth about 9 prominent veins on each side of the midrib and transversely 

 reticulate veinlets, the petiole 1 in. long or more, with longitudinal wings 

 about 1 line broad, which fall off in tire greater part of their length. Pe- 

 duncles terminal, not usually exceeding the leaves, bearing 2 or 3 large 

 flowers on pedicels of nearly 1 in. Sepals 6 to 8 lines long, ovate, concave, 



) 



* 



