\ 



Byroiua.] xxxiii. ilicine-^. 897 



f ]i ^' -^"iJiemensis, F. Muell. Fragm. ii. 119. A slirub or tree, per- 



icctlj glabrous. _ Leaves elliptical, oLtuse or obtusely acuminate, 3 to 5 in. 



iong, entire, coriaceous, sliining above, narrowed into a petiole of ^ to | in. 

 i^mbels few-flowered, on axillary or lateral peduncles of about \ in., some- 

 times several in a short axillary leafless branch. Flowers not seen. Fruiting 

 pe( icels 3 or 4 lines lon^. Fruit (not quite ripe) small, nearly globular, 

 umbonate, the persistent calyx small, of 5 to 7 sepals, Pyrenes about 12, 



W. Australia. Valleys near Providence Hill, Arnhem's Land, F. Mueller. 



Order XXXIV. CELASTEINE^. 



-blowers regular, hennaphrodite or polygamous. Calyx small, persistent, 

 J- or 5 -cleft, rarely 3- or 6- cleft. Petals as many as calyx-segments, spread- 

 nig, uubricate or rarely valvate in the bud. Stamens as many as petals and 



ernate with them, inserted round the base or on the margin of the disk. 



alt 



or upon the disk itself; filaments usually short, incurved; anthers short, 2- 

 Cfiilea, the cells in a few sfenera confluent into one. Disk usuallv consnicn- 



oocasionally several, rarely 1 only, or pendulous with a dorsal raphe, 

 ^ capside, berry, drupe, or samara, rarely divided into distinct carpels. 



Disk usually conspicu- 

 ous, more or less fleshy, flat or broadly cup-shaped, or thick and conical, nearly 

 11 ee,^ or adnate to the base of the calyx or confluent with the ovary. Ovary 

 sessile on the disk, 2- to 5-celled, tapering to a short style with an entire or 

 obed stigma; ovules usually 2 in each cell, ascending with a ventral raphe, 



Seeds 

 Jisually enveloped in an arillus, sometimes winged ; albumen fleshy or almost 

 lorny or none; embiyo usually rather large, with flat cotyledons and a short 

 r**aic!c next to the hilum. — Trees or shrubs, occasionally thorny, or woody 

 cumbers. Leaves opposite or alternate, entire or toothed. Stipules minute 

 and very deciduous or none. Flowers small, white or greenish, in axillary 

 <^yines or small racemes or in terminal panicles. 



A coiisidcniblc Order, dispersed over the greater part of the glohe, more aLundautly 

 Jthm the tropics thau iu temperate regions. Of the six Australian genera one only is en- 

 -^Hc, the others are all Asiatic, one extends to Africa and S. Europe but is not American, 

 IS also tropical American bat not hitherto found in Africa, and two are both in America 

 ana Africa. The peculiar disk readily characterises the greater number of genera, ^Yhere 

 J?y IS wanting tlie insertion of the ovules and inferior radicle are the chief points separating 

 ^^(aairmea from Ilicinek ; from RIiamuecB, with which the real affinity is much closer, the 

 stamens alternating with the petals is a constant distinctive mark. The majority of Celas- 

 nnem assume also when dry a peculiar pale-green colour, very rare in allied Orders. 



Tribe 1. Celastreae.— 5/rf:w^/?^ the same mimher as petals, inserted round the dhh 

 J'* on lis margin. Seeds alhuminons, 



I^eaves alternate. Ovules 2 iu each cell. Capsule loculicidal, coria- 

 ceous. 



•i'lowers in racemes or panicles. Stamens on the margin of the 



disk 1, Cetastrus. 



lowers in cymes. ' Stam"cns under the disk' .'!!!..• 2. Gym.n'OSforta, 

 ^aves alternate. Ovules 3 or more in each cell. Capsule loculicidal, 



woody or bony. Flowers iu cymes, Stamens on the margins of 

 * the disk * 3. Di^NnA^rA. 



I-^ves mostly opposite. Ovules 2 \\\ each cell. Drupe indehisccnt, 

 2:or3-celled 4, ErEODKNonoN. 



den 

 one 



