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410 XXXVI. KHAMNE.E. 



epicarp thin and dry or fleshy ; endocarp separating into as many membranous 

 coriaceous or hard cocci as cells, or woody or bony, divided into cells. Seeds 

 solitary, erect, usually ovate and somewhat compressed, often arillate ; testa co- 

 riaceous or crustaceous and shining or rarely membranous ; albumen fleshy or 

 ahnost horny, often scanty, rarely wantuig ; embryo usually straight, with 

 flat rather thick cotyledons and a short inferior radicle. — Shrubs or trees, 

 very rarely, in genera not Australian, herbs, erect or climbing. Leaves alter- 

 nate or rarely opposite, undivided, entire, or toothed. Stipules usually present 

 but very deciduous, rarely spinous and persistent. Plowers small, usually 

 green or yellowish, in cymes or umbel-like clusters, either solitary or forming 

 axillary or terminal compound cymes, racemes or panicles, 



A considerable Order, ranging over the tropical and temperate regions of botli the New 

 and the Old World. Of the 12 Australian genera, 3 are widely spread tropical or northern 

 genera, and 1 tropical Asiatic, all represented in Australia by single or very few species, a 

 fifth is South American, with one Australian and one New Zealand species, the remaining 

 7, several of them numerous in species, are endemic or nearly so ; Alphilonia estendmg 

 to the Pacific islands, and Fomaderris to New Zealand. The Order is a well-marlccd one, 

 the floral characters separating it very readily from all except Ampelideay from which it is 

 distiuguished by the habit, by the drupaceous or capsular, not baccate fruit, and by the 

 seeds ; but most of the genera, even the most natural oucs, are diflBcult to characterize. The 

 dilTerences iu their flowers and fruits are very trifling ; they often pass into each other by 

 the finest gradations, and habit, foliage, and iuflorescence must often be relied upon for 

 fixing generic limits. 



Calyx spreading. Disk broad, concave or filling the calyx-tube. 

 Ovar}^ free or -immersed iu the disk. Leaves usually alternate, 

 rather large, often serrate, Truit above 2 lines long or broad, 

 succulent or dry. 

 Leaves 3- or 5-uerved. 



Dru^Ki succulent, the putainen woody or bony, 1- to 4-celled, 



Stipules usually spinescent 2. ZizYrilus. 



Drupe with a thin epicarp, covering membranous or crus- 

 taceous cocci. Unarmed 4. Colvbuina. 



Leaves pcnuinerved. 



Panicle branches elongated and raceme -like. Nut l-seeded, 



produced into a long wing-like appendage . . ... 1. VentiLAGO. 



Panicle or cyme 2-3-chotomous. Endocarp separating into 

 cocci. 



Ovary immersed in the disk. Epicarp thick. Leaves 



white or rusty underneath 5. Alphitosia. 



Ovary sessile on the disk. Epicarp thin. Leaves green 



on both sides 6. EMiiENOsrEuMUM. 



Flowers in axillary clusters. Ovary sessile on the disk. Epi- 



carp succulent 3. Rhamnus. 



Calyx carapanulatc or tubular. Disk none, or annular, or lininn- 

 the calys-tubc. Ovary partially or wholly inferior. Leaves 

 alternate, usually small and entire (except a few Pomaderrises). 

 Fruit under 2 lines diameter. 

 Calyx-tube entirely adnate, or lined by the disk up to the lobes. 

 Petals uouc, or concave, not enclosing the anthers, which are 

 either oblong or on long filaments. Flowers usually pedi- 

 cellate. Bracts very deciduous . , , 7, Pomabeukis. 



Petals enclosing the small anthers. Flowers pedicellate". 



Bracts very deciduous \ 8. Tiumamum. 



Petals enclosing the small anthers. Flowers sessile, surrounded 



by small, imbricate, persistent, brown bracts .... 9, SrvRiDiUM. 





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