21 



XII. FLACOURTIACE^. 



FLACOURTiANEiE, Richard in Mem. Mus. 1. 3CC. (1815) ; Dec. Prodr. 1. 255. (1820.) 



Diagnosis. Polypetalous dicotyledons, with hypogynous stamens, con- 

 crete carpella, and a 1-celled ovarium, with parietal placentae branching all 

 over the surface of the inside. 



Anomalies. Ryania, Patrisia, Flacourtia, Roumea, and Stigmarota, 

 that is to say, more than half the order, have no petals. 



EssKKTiAL Character — Sepals definite, from 4-7, cohering slightly at the base. 

 Petals equal to the latter in number and alternate with them, seldom wanting. Stamens 

 hypogynous, of the same number as the petals, or twice as many, or some multiple of them, 

 occasionally changed into nectariferous scales. Ovarium roundish, distinct, sessile or slightly 

 stalked ; style either none or fihform ; stigmas several, more or less distinct. Fruit 1- 

 celled, either fleshy and indehiscent, or capsular, with 4 or 5 valves, the centre filled with a 

 thin pulp. Seeds iew., thick, usually enveloped in a pellicle formed by the withered pulp, 

 attached to the surface of the valves in a branched manner, not in a line as in Violeae and 

 Passifloreae ; albumen fleshy, somewhat oiiy ; embryo straight in the axis, with the radicle 



turned to the hilum, and therefore usually superior ; cotyledons flat, foliaceous Shrubs or 



small trees. Leaves alternate, simple, on short stalks, without stipulaj, usually entire, and 

 coriaceous. Peduncles axillary, many-flowered. Flowers sometimes unisexual. 



Affinities. The unilocular fruit, over the whole of the inside of which 

 the placentae spread, is, according to Decandolle, sufficient to distinguish 

 them from all other Dicotyledons. They resemble the Capparidese with 

 fleshy fruit in a number of particulars ; and M. Decandolle indicates an ap- 

 proach to Passifloreae : this chiefly depends upon both orders having parietal 

 placentae, and the presence of a series of barren stamina, analogous to the 

 corona of Passifloreae. They have also some relation to Samydeae. 



Geography. Almost all natives of the hottest parts of the East and 

 West Indies, and Africa. Two or three species are found at the Cape of Good 

 Hope, and one or perhaps two in New Zealand. 



Properties. Nothing is known of their sensible qualities. The fruit 

 of some of the Flacourtias is eatable and wholesome; that of Hydnocarpus 

 venenata is used in Ceylon for poisoning fish, which afterwards become so 

 unwholesome as to be unfit for food. 



Decandolle has the following tribes {Prodr. 1. 255.) : — 

 1. Patrisiesl. 



Flowers hermaphrodite, apetalous. Sepals 5, coloured inside, persistent. 

 Stamens indefinite. Fruit capsular or berried. Dec. It is to be suspected 

 that this tribe really belongs to Passifloreae, on account of its affinity to 

 Smeathmannia ; but their seeds are smooth, not pitted, and the placentae do 

 not occupy lines, but are spread over the whole surface. Ibid. 



Examples. Ryanaea. Patrisia. 



2. Flacourtie;e. 



Flowers diacious, apetalous. Stamens indefinite. Fruit baccate, inde- 

 hiscent. Dec. 



Examples. Flacourtia, Roumea. 



3. Kiggelarie^. 



Flowers dioecious. Petals? 5, alternate with the sepals. Stamens defi- 

 nite. Fruit somewhat baccate, finally dehiscing. Dec. 



Examples. Kiggelaria, Melicytus. 



4. Erytiirosperme^. 



Flowers hermaphrodite. Petals and stamens 5-7. Fruit indehiscent, 

 somewhat baccate. 



Example. Erythrospermum. 



