28 



XIX. MONIMIEiE. 



Monimieje, Juss. in Ann. Mus. 14. 130. (1809); Dec. Ess. Med. 265. (1816.) 



Diagnosis. Apetalous dicotyledons, with definite pendulous ovula, nume- 

 rous distinct ovaria, and anthers bursting longitudinally. 

 Anomalies. 



Essential Character.— Mowers diclinous. Calyx tubular, toothed or lobed at the apex, 

 with valvular aestivation. Stamens indefinite, covering all the inside of the calyx ; anthers 

 2-celled, bursting 1 longitudinally. Oraria several, superior, distinct, enclosed within the tube 

 of the calyx, each with its own style and stigma; ovule pendulous. Fruit consisting of 

 several 1-seeded nuts, enclosed within the enlarged calyx. Seed pendulous ; embryo in the 

 midst of an abundant albumen ; radicle superior.— Trees or shrubs, without aroma. Leaves 

 opposite, without stipulse. Hairs stellate. Flowers axillary, in short racemes. 



Affinities. Allied to Urticea?, from which they differ in the presence of 

 several ovaria within each calyx, in their pendulous ovula, in the radicle being 

 turned towards the hilum, and in the presence of abundant albumen ; also to 

 Laurinese, from which they particularly differ in the dehiscence of their 

 anthers, and in the number of their ovaria ; and to Atherospermese, which 

 agree in sensible qualities, and in the number of their ovaria, but which differ 

 in the dehiscence of the anthers, and in the erect position of the ovules. With 

 Calycanthere they have also a good deal of relation. Mr. Brown considers 

 that what is here called a calyx is more properly an involucrum. Flin- 

 ders, 553. 



Geography. All natives of South America. 



Properties. All the parts of the bark and leaves exhale an aromatic 

 odour, which is compared by travellers to that of Laurels or Myrtles. Decand. 



Examples. Monimia, Ruizia. 



XX. ATHEROSPERMEiE. 



Atherosperme.e, R. Brown in Flinders, 553. (1814.) 



Diagnosis. Apetalous aromatic dicotyledons, with definite erect ovula, 

 and anthers bursting by recurved valves. 

 Anomalies. 



Essential Character. — Flowers diclinous or monoclinous. Calyx tubular, divided at 

 the top into several segments, usually placed in two rows, the inner of which is partly peta- 

 loid ; to these are superadded some scales in the pistilliferous and perfect flowers. Stamens 

 in the sterile ones very numerous in the bottom of the calyx, with scales among them ; in the 

 monoclinous fewer, and arising from the orifice of the calyx; anthers adnate, 2-cclled, burst- 

 ing with a valve which separates from the base to the apex. Ovaria more than one, usually 

 indefinite, each with a single erect ovulum ; styles simple, arising cither from the side or the 

 base ; stigmas simple. Nuts terminated by the persistent styles become feathery, enclosed in 

 the enlarged tube of the calyx. Seed solitary, erect; embryo short, erect, at the base of soft, 

 fleshy albumen ; radicle inferior. — Trees. Leaves opposite, without Btipulse. Flcwers axil- 

 lary, solitary. 



Affinities. The anthers of this order are the same as those of Laminae 

 and Berberidea 1 , from the latter of which they differ entirely, but with the 

 former of which they agree in their aromatic odour. The order is nearly re- 

 lated to Monimerp, with which it is even combined by Jussieu ; but it differs in 

 the position of the ovula, and in the structure of the anihers. 



Geography. Natives of New Holland and South America. Only two 

 genera are known. 



Properties. Aromatic shrubs. 



Exa3IPLes. Pavonia, Atherosperma. 



