1 .3.-, 



Essential Character — Sepal*- 4-5, united in a furrowed tube, persistent, equal, Petai 

 alternate with the sepals, hypogynous, unguiculate, with appendages at the base of the limb. 

 Stamens hypogynous, either equal in number to the petals, and alternate with them, or hav- 

 ae a tendency°to double the number; anthers roundish, versatile. Ovarium superior ; style 

 tilfform 2-fid or 3-fid. Capsule 1-celJed, enclosed in the calyx, 2- 3- or 4-valved, many-seeded ; 

 dehiscence septicidal. Seeds attached to the margins of the valves, very minute ; embryo 

 straight, erect, in the midst of albumen (divided into two plates, Gcertn. fl.)— Herbaceous 

 plants or undcr-shrubs. Stems very much branched. Leaves opposite, exstipulate, with a 

 membranous sheathing base ; often revolute at the edge. Floucrs senile in the division? ol 

 the branches, and terminal, embosomed in leaves, usually pink. 



Affinities. Allied on the one hand to Caryophylleae, from which they 

 are distinguished by their different placentation, and by the form of their 

 embryo ; to Linese, from which they are known by their unilocular fruit ; and 

 on the other to Violaceae, which differ in having a loculicidal, not septicidal, 

 dehiscence. Their habit is that of Amarantaceee and Illecebreae, from which 

 their petals and compound fruit divide them. 



Geography. This order is chiefly found in the north of Africa and south 

 of Europe. Two species are natives of the Cape of Good Hope, 1 of South 

 America, 4 of New Holland, and 3 of temperate Asia. None have been 

 found in tropical India or North Amerigo 



Properties. Unknown. 



Example ' Frankenia. 



CXLII. TAMARISCINE/E. The Tamarisk Tribe 



T MfAUBClnmB. Desvaux, in a Dissertation read before the French Institute (in 1815,) accord- 

 ing- to the Ann. Sc. Nat. 4. 344. (1825); A. St. Hil. Mem. Mus. 2. 205. (1816); Ehrenb. 

 in Annates des Sciences, 12. G8. (1827); Dec. Prodr. 3. 95. (1828); Lindl. Synops. 

 61. (1829.) 



Diagnosis. Polypetalous dicotyledons, with definite hypogynous stamens, 

 concrete carpella, a 1-celled ovarium with placentae at the base, no stipulae. 

 shrubby stems, comose seeds, and a 4- or 5-parted calyx. 



Anomalies, 



Essential Character.— Calyx 4- or 5-parted, persistent, with an imbricated aestivation. 

 Petals inserted into the base of the calyx, withering, with an imbricated aestivation. Sta- 

 mens hypogynous, either equal to the petals in number, or twice as many, distinct or mona- 

 delphous. Ovarium superior ; style very short ; stigmata 3. Capsule 3-valved, 1-celled, many- 

 seeded ; placentas. 3, either at the base of the cavity, or along the middle of the valves. -Scecfs 

 erect or ascending, comose; albumen none; embryo straight, with an inferior radicle. 

 Shrubs or herbs, with rod-like branches. Leaves alternate, resembling scales, entire, t lowers 

 in close spikes or racemes. 



Affinities. According to Decandolle (Prodr. 3. 95.), who places the 

 order among those with perigynous stamens, related to Portulaceae (or Illece- 

 breae,) on account of the resemblance between their flowers and those of Tele- 

 phium ; but they differ in their parietal exalbuminous comose seeds. Also 

 allied to Lythrariae and Onagraria?, but differing from the former in the imbri- 

 cated aestivation, the petals arising from the bottom of the calyx, and parietal 

 seeds ; and from the latter in their superior ovarium, and the imbricated aesti- 

 vation of the calyx. Dr. Ehrenberg asserts the order to have hypogynous 

 stamens (Ann. des Sc. 12. 77.), and this agrees with my own observations. 

 The same botanist, in separating the Tamarix songarica of Willdenow from 

 Tamariscineae, and referring it to the vicinity of Reaumuria, establishes the 

 affinity of Tamariscineae to the order of Reaumurieee. Its true station appears 

 to me to be next Frankenia.cc;>' 



