79 



LXX. HOMALINEiE. 



HoMALiNE/E, R. Brown in Congo, (1818) ; Dec. Prodr. 2. 53. (1825.) 



Diagnosis. Polypetalous dicotyledons, with perigynous stamens, con- 

 crete oarpella, an inferior ovarinm of 1 cell with parietal placentee, and petals 

 and sepals resembling each other, with glands at their base. 



Anomalies. It is said there are no glands in Napimoga. Astranthus 

 is said to have a superior ovarium ; but this requires confirmation. 



Essential Character — Calyw funnel-shaped, superior, with from 5 to 15 divisions. 

 Petals alternate with the segments of the calyx, and equal to them in number. Glands 

 present in front of the segments of the calyx. Stamens arising from the base of the petals, 

 either singly or in threes or sixes ; anthers 2-celled, opening longitudinally. Ovarium 

 half inferior, I-celled, with numerous ovula ; styles from 3 to 5, simple, filiform, or subu- 

 late ; ovules attached to as many parietal placentae as there are styles. Fruit berried or 

 capsular. Seeds small, ovate, or angular, with an embryo in the middle of fleshy albumen. 

 — Trees or shrubs. Leaves alternate, with deciduous stipulae, toothed or entire. Flowers 

 in spikes, racemes, or panicles. 



Affinities. According to Mr. Brown, related to Passifloreae, espe- 

 cially to Smeathmannia, from which, however, their inferior ovarium dis- 

 tinguishes them, to say nothing of their general want of stipulse and glands 

 on the leaves, of the presence of glands at the base of the floral envelopes, 

 and of their erect and very diflPerent habit. With Malesherbiacese they agree 

 and disagree much, as with Passiflorese. From Rosaceee, Bixinese, and Fla- 

 courtianese, to all which they have a greater or less degree of affinity, they 

 diflfer in many obvious particulars. DecandoUe places them between Samy- 

 deae and Chailletiacese, describing them as apetalous, but classing them 

 with his Dichlamydese ; Mr. Brown also understands them as without petals.; 

 but I confess I cannot comprehend what petals are, if the inner series of the 

 floral envelopes of these plants are not so ; an opinion which their supposed 

 affinity with Passifloreae would confirm, if analogy could be admitted as 

 evidence in cases which can be decided without it. I may remark, that the 

 statement of M. DecandoUe, that the stamens are opposite the sepals {Pi^odr. 

 3. 53.) is inaccurate; they are, as Mr. Brown describes them {Congo), oppo- 

 site the petals. 



Geography. All tropical, and chiefly African or Indian. Four or five 

 species are described from the West Indies and South America. 



Properties. Unknown. 



Examples. Astranthus, Blackwellia, Homalium. 



LXXI. SAMYDE^. 



Samyde^-e, Vent. Mem. Inst. 2. 142. (1807) ; Gcertn. fil. Carp. 3. 238. 242. (1805); Kunth. 

 Nov. Gen. 5. 360. (1821) ; Dec. Prodr. 2. 4?. (1825.) 



Diagnosis. Apetalous dicotyledons, with indefinite ovules, a 1-celled 

 ovarium with parietal placentae, dehiscent fruit, hermaphrodite flowers, peri- 

 gynous monadelphous stamens, and leaves with a mixture of round and 

 oblongdots. 



Anomalies. 



Essential Character. — Sepals 3, 5, or 7, more or less cohering at the base, 

 usually coloured inside ; aestivation somewhat imbricated, very seldom completely valvate. 

 Petals 0. Stamens arising from the tube of the calyx, 2, 3, or 4 times as many as the 



