51 



teeeEWTiAL Chabacteh.— Calyx superior, in 4 piecee. Petals 4, linear, with a valvular 

 astivation. StmnensS, of which 4 are alternate with the petals; their anthers turned inwards. 

 2-celled each cell opening by a valve which is finally deciduous, and 4 are sterile, and placed 

 at the 'base of the petals. Ovarium 2-celled, inferior; ovules solitary, pendulous or sus- 

 pended; styles 2. Fruit half inferior, capsular, usually opening with two septiferous valves. 

 Seeds pendulous ; embryo in the midst of fleshy albumen ; radicle superior. — Skrubs. Leaves 

 alternate, deciduous, toothed, with veins running hum the midrib straight to the margin. 

 Stipulce deciduous. Mowers small, axillary. 



Affinities. Distinguished from Saxifrages by the deciduous valves of the 

 anthers, definite seeds, and shrubby stem bearing alternate leaves and decidu- 

 ous stipule. In the latter respect related to Cupuliferse, from which the petals 

 and calyx divide them. According to Mr. Brown, their affinity is on the one 

 hand with Bruniaces, from which they are distinguished by the insertion and 

 dehiscence of the anthers, the monospermous cells of the ovarium, dehiscence 

 of the capsule, the quadiifid calyx and habit ; and on the other with Cornus, 

 Marlea, and the neighbouring genera ; in some respects also with Araliacese, 

 but differing in their capsular fruit, the structure of the anthers, and other 

 marks. See Abel's Voyage, Appendix. 



Geography. Natives of North America and Japan, or the north of China. 



Properties. Unknown. 



Examples. Hamamelis, Fothergilla. 



XLIII. PHILADELPHEiE. The Syringa Tribe. 



Phii.adelphe^, Don in Jameson's Journal, 133. {April 1826) ; Dec. Prodr. 3. 205. (1828.) 



Diagnosis. Polypetalous dicotyledons, with indefinite perigynous stamens, 

 •concrete carpella, an inferior ovarium of several cells, round a^'hers, indefinite 

 ovula, and albuminous seeds. 



Anomalies. 



Essential Character.— Calyx superior, with a persistent limb, having from 4 to 10 divi- 

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

 convolute- imbricate aestivation. Stamens indefinite, arising in 1 or 2 rows from the orifice of 

 the calyx. Styles cither distinct, or consolidated into one; stigmas several. Capsule half 

 inferior, with from 4 to 10 cells, many-seeded. Seeds scobilorm, subulate, smooth, heaped in 

 the angles of the cells upon an angular placenta; arillus? 1< ose, membranous. Albumen 

 fleshy ; embryo inverted, about as long' as the albumen ; cotyledons oval, obtuse, flatfish ; radi- 

 cle longer than the cotyledons, superior, straight, obtuse.— Shrubs. Leaves deciduous, oppo- 

 site, toothed, without dots or stipulaj. Peduncles axillary or terminal, in trichotomous-cymes. 

 Flowers always white. 



Affinities. The genera of this order were formerly referred to Myrtaces ; 

 and I think there is a dissertation by the late President of the Linnean Society, 

 in which he endeavoured to show the difficulty of distinguishing Leptosper- 

 mum even generically from Philadelphus, — so little did his school at that time 

 know of the method of pursuing botanical inquiries. The affinity of the order 

 has, however, been very properly shown by Mr. Don to be not so much with 

 Myrtaceae as with Saxifrages, to which latter Philadelpheee do in fact closely 

 approach, differing widely in habit, but in fructification distinguished chiefly 

 by the numerous cells of the fruit and the indefinite stamens. Decandolle 

 points out an approach to Hydrangea ; and if that genus does not actually 

 belong to this order, it is at least probable that it is a fink connecting it with 

 Viburnum, agreeing almost equally with Philadelpheee and Viburneae in habit 

 and fructification. Deutzia of Thunberg, which is not included in the order by 

 Decandolle, certainly belongs to it ; as I first learned from Mr. Brown's notes 

 in Dr. Wallich's Herbarium, and as I since find stated by Mr. Don. 



