238 



and even in Van Diemen's Island, it is more frequent than within the 

 tropics. R. Brown in Flinders, 567. 



Properties. The bark of Avicennia tomentosa, the White Mangrove 

 of Brazil, is in great use at Rio Janeiro for tanning. Pr. Max. Trav. 206. 



Examples. Myoporum, Stenochilus, Pholidia, Eremophila. 



CCXIX. SELAGINE^. 



SELAGiNEii:, Juss. Aim. Mus. 7. 71. (180G); Richard in Pers. Synops. 2. 146. (1807); 



Choisy Mtmoire, (1823.) 



Diagnosis. Monopetalous dicotyledons, with irregular ifnsymmetrical 

 flowers, a superior 2-celled ovarium with definite erect ovules, indehiscent 

 fruit, a superior radicle, albuminous seeds, and alternate leaves. 



Anomalies. 



Essential Character. — Calyx tubular, persistent, with a definite number of teeth, 

 or divisions, rarely consisting of two sepals. Corolla tubular, hypogj-nous, more or less 

 irregular, with 5 lobes. Stamens 4, usually didynamous, arising from the top of the tube 

 of the corolla, seldom 2 ; anthers usually adnate to the dilated top of the filament, rarely 

 versatile. Ovarium superior, very minute; style 1, filiform. Fruit 2-celled, the cells 

 either separable or inseparable, 1 -seeded, membranous. Seed solitary, erect; embryo in 



the axis of fleshy albumen ; radicle inferior Herbaceous plants, or small branched shrubs. 



Leaves alternate, usually sessile, toothed, or entire, often fascicled. Flowers sessile, spiked, 

 with large bracteae. 



Affinities. Distinguished from Verbenacese by the radicle being 

 superior, instead of inferior, and the leaves alternate ; from Myoporineoe by 

 the seeds being erect, not pendulous, and the embryo consequently anti- 

 tropous, not orthotropous. M. Choisy remarks, that " if, on the one hand, 

 we examine Selagineae, Verbenacese, and Myoporineae, and, on the other, 

 Dipsacese, Compositse, and Calycereae, we shall find a perfect symmetry 

 between their respective characters ; thus Dipsaceoe differ from Compositte 

 exactly as Selagineaj from Verbenaceae, by the inverted embryo and the 

 presence of albumen, and Calycereoe differ from Conipositse as Myoporineas 

 from Verbenacese, by their peHdiiloiis ovulum ; therefore, as every one admits 

 Dipsaceae and Calycereae, it seems natural to admit Selagineae and Myopo- 

 rineae." Mcmoire, p. 9. Related to Scrophularineae through Erinus and 

 Manulea, and to Acanthaceae through Eranthemum. The essential character 

 is taken from M. Choisy. 



Geography. All found at the Cape of Good Hope. 



Properties. Unknown. 

 . Examples. Selago, Polycenia, Agathelpis, Hebenstreitia. 



CCXX. VERBENACEiE. The Vervain Tribe. 



ViTiCES, Juss. Gen. 106. (1789) — VEUBENACEiE, Juss. in Ann. Mus. 7. 03. (1806) ; 

 R. Brown Prodr. 510. (1810) ; Lindl. Synops. 195. (1829.) 



Diagnosis. Monopetalous dicotyledons, with a superior undivided ova- 

 rium, a terminal style, irregular unsymmetrical flowers, indehiscent 2- or 4- 

 celled fruit, opposite leaves, and solitary seeds with an inferior radicle. 



Anomalies. 



