147 



in Africa and the neighbouring islands ; and a few in the East Indies, of which 

 the greater part belong to the genus Modecca. 



Properties. Nothing is known of the properties of this order further than 

 that the succulent arillus and pulp that surround the seeds are fragrant, juicy, 

 cooling, and pleasant, in several species. 



Example. Passifiora, Tacsonia, Murucuja, Smeathmannia. 



CXXXII. MALESHERBIACE.E. 



%Uleshekbiaceje. Don in Jameson's Journal, 321. (1826).— Passiflore.e. § Malesherbicic, 

 Dec. Prodr. 3. 337. (1828.) 



Diagnosis. Polypetalous dicotyledons, with definite perigynous stamens, 

 a membranous ring at the mouth of the tube of the calyx, concrete carpella, a 

 superior 1 -celled ovarium with parietal placentae, styles widely apart at the 

 base, corolla with a twisted aestivation, exstipulate glandless leaves, exarillate 

 seeds, and an embryo in the midst of fleshy albumen. 



Anomalies. 



Essential Character. — Calyx tubular, membranous, inflated, 5-lobed, the lobes with an 

 imbricated aestivation. Petals 5, alternate with the segments of the calyx, persistent, with a 

 convolute aestivation arising- from without a short membranous rim or corona- Stamens 5 or 

 10, perigynous ; filaments filiform, distinct, or connected with the stalk of the ovarium ; anthen 

 versatile. Ovarium superior, stipitate, 1-celled with the placentas at the base, from which 

 the ovules arise by the intervention of umbilical cords ; styles 3, filiform, very long-, arising- 

 from distinct points of the apex of the ovarium; stigmas clavate. Fruit capsular, 1-celled, 

 3-valved, membranous more or less, many-seeded. Seeds attached by umbilical cords to 

 placentae arising- either from the axis of the valves, or from their base ; testa crustaceous, 

 brittle, with a fleshy crest, and no arillus ; embryo taper, in the midst of fleshy albumen, with 

 the radicle next the hilum.— Herbaceous or half-shrubby plants. Leaves alternate, lobed, with- 

 out stipuke. Floioers axillary or terminal, solitary, yellow or blue. 



Affinities. According to Mr. Don, by whom these plants were first con- 

 sidered the rudiments of an order, " they agree on the one hand with Passifio- 

 rese, and on the other with Turneraceas ;" and I am persuaded that this is their 

 true position. From the former they differ in the insertion of their styles, in 

 versatile anthers, in their short placenta?, membranous fruit, taper embryo, want 

 of arillus and of stipules, and altogether in their habit: fromTurneraceae,to which 

 their habit quite allies them, they differ in the presence of a perigynous mem- 

 brane, in the remarkable insertion of the styles, and in the want of all trace of an 

 arillus ; agreeing with that order in the aestivation of the corolla, and in the 

 principal other points of their structure. I have modified the essential charac- 

 ter of the order, in consequence of the inspection of a Chilian plant, of which 

 specimens are in my possession. 



Geography. Natives of Chile. 



Properties. Unknown, except as objects of erreat beauty. 



Example. Maleshorbia. 



