3r 



■Sterculia would, as the type of an order, be referable to another artificial sec- 

 tion, it is impossible to doubt that Reevesia, a remarkable Chinese plant, having 

 the habit and peculiar conformation of anthers found in Sterculia, along with 

 the petals and fruit of Pterospermum, completely identifies the genus with 

 polypetalous syncarpous orders. 

 The following are the sections : 



§ 1. True Sterculiaceje. 



Biittneriaceae, § Stercutiacea?, Kunth 1. c. (1822). § Sterculiere, Dec. Prodr. 

 1. 481. (1824.) 



Flowers frequently diclinous. Flowers with or without petals. Stamens 

 often connected in a long column, bearing the anthers at the apex. Fruit either 

 deeply lobed, or concrete. — Trees. Leaves simple, entire, or lobed ; petioles 

 with a swelling at both their base and apex. 



Examples. Sterculia, Heritiera, Reevesia. 



§ 2. DoMBEYACEJE. 



Biittneriaceae, § Dombeyaceae, Kunth, 1. c. (1822). Dec. 1. c. (1824.) 

 Calyx 5-lobed. Petals 5, rather large, unequal-sided, convolute in aestiva- 

 tion. Stamens some multiple of the number of the petals, in a single row, 

 monadelphous, rarely all fertile, usually some sterile, thread- or strap-shaped ; 

 some (usually 2 or 3 between each sterile stamen) fertile, and more or less 

 combined. Styles from 3 to 5, combined or distinct. Ovula 2 or more in each 

 cell, in two rows. Embryo straight, in the axis of fleshy albumen. Cotyle- 

 dons leafy, often bifid, crumpled or flat. Dec. 

 Examples. Pentapetes, Astrapa?a, Dombeya. 

 § 3. WallichiejE. 



Biittneriaceae, § Wallichiese, Dec. Mem. Mus. 10. 102. (1823) ; Prodr. 1. 

 501. (1824.) 



Calyx 5-lobed, surrounded by an involucrum, consisting of from 3 to 5 

 leaves, and distant from the flower. Petals 5, flat. Stamens numerous, with 

 long monadelphous filaments, of which the outermost are the smallest, arranged 

 in a column like those of Malvaceae. Anthers erect, 2-celled. Dec. 



Examples. Eriolaena, Wallichia. 



§ 4. Hermanniace.32. 



Hermanniaceas, Juss. ex Kunth, Diss. p. 11. (1822) ; Nov. Gen. 5. 312. 

 (1821) ; Dec. Prodr. 1. 490. (1824) ; a section nf Buttneriaceae. 



Flowers monoclinous. Calyx 5-lobed, persistent, either with or without 

 an involucrum. Petals 5, twisted spirally before expansion. Stamens 5, 

 monadelphous in a slight degree, all fertile and opposite the petals, with ovate 

 2-celled anthers. Carpella concrete. Albumen between fleshy and mealy. 

 Embryo included ; radicle inferior, ovate. Cotyledons flat, leafy, entire. Dec. 

 — Shrubs, or herbaceous plants. Leaves alternate, simple, entire, or variously 

 cut. Stipules 2, adhering to the petioles. Peduncles axillary, or opposite the 

 leaves, or terminal, with 1, 3, or many flowers, which are usually in umbels. 

 Kunth. M. Decandolle assigns these plants a curved embryo ; but all Iler- 

 manniaceffi have it not. 



Examples. Melochia, Hermannia, Riedleia. 



§ 5. True ButtneriacejE. 



Buttneriaceae, JR. Brown, 1. c. ; Kunth, 1. c. p. 6. — Biittnerieae, Dec. Prodr. 

 1.484. 



Petals usually hollowed out at the base, and expanded at the point into a 

 sort of strap. Filaments 5, sterile, ligulate, opposite the petals ; others fertile, 

 alternate, solitary, or pentadelphous in trees, or with but a single anther. Ova- 



