celastracejE. (staff-tree family.) 75 



into three valveless nutlets. Embryo in the axis of thin albumen. — Tropical, 

 chiefly climbing shrubs, with alternate stipulate toothed leaves, and perfect or 

 polygamous flowers in terminal spiked clusters. 



1- G. Domingensis, L. Branches pubescent; leaves oblong-ovate, ta- 

 pering into an obtuse point, serrate, petioled ; spikes elongated, bearing a tendril 

 at the base; drupe globose, 3-winged. — South Florida. — Leaves 2' - 4' long 

 Flowers minute, yellow. Lobes of the disk eraarginate. 



Order 40. CELASTRACE^. (Staff-tree Family.) 



Shrubs, with simple stipulate leaves, and small regular flowers. — 

 Sepals and petals 4-5, imbricated in the bud. Stamens 4 — .'), alternate 

 with the petals, and inserted with them on the disk which fills the bottom 

 of the calyx. Ovary free, 1 - 5-celled, with 1 - several erect ovules in 

 each cell. Styles united. Fruit capsular or drupaceous. Seeds often 

 arilled. Embryo in the axis of the albumen. — Flowers perfect or 

 ])olygamous. 



Synopsis. 



» Fruit a 1 -2-seeded drupe. 



1. MTGINDA. Ovary 4-celled. Stigmas 4. Brupe 1-seeded. Leaves opposite. Flowers 



perfect. 



2. SCII^EFFERL\. Ovary 2-celled. Stigmas 2. Drupe 2-seeded. Leaves alternate. Flowers 



dioecious. 



* * Fruit a 3 - 5-valved capsule : seeds arilled. 

 3 EU0NYMU3. Flowers perfect, in axillary cymes. Calyx flat. Leaves opposite. 



4. CELASTRUS. Flowers polygamous, in terminal racemes. Calyx cup-shaped. Capsule 



globose. Leaves alternate. 



5. MAYTENUS. Flowers axillary. Calyx flat. Capsule 3-angled. Leaves alternate. 



1. MYGINDA, Jacq. 



Flowers perfect. Sepals 4, united below. Petals 4, roundish. Stamens 4. 

 Ovary 4-celled, with a solitary anatropous ovule in each cell. Style short, 4-cleft. 

 Drupe 1-cellcd, 1-sceded. Seed erect. Embryo in thin albumen. Cotyledons 

 flat. Radicle inferior. — Tropical shrubs, with small opposite coriaceous leaves, 

 and minute white or reddish flowers on axiUary forking peduncles. 



1. M. Rhacoma, Swartz. Branches slender, pubescent, angled ; leaves ob- 

 long, obtuse, crenate, nearly sessile, paler and often discolored beneath ; pedun- 

 cles filiform, sliorter than the leaves, cymosely 2-4-flowercd ; calyx-lobes round, 

 pubescent; petals oval, concave, ciliate ; stigmas spreading ; drupe obovate. — 

 South Florida. — A small shrub. Leaves j'- 1' long, glabrous. 



2. M. ilicifolia, Lam. Branches terete, pubescent ; leaves smooth, round- 

 ovate, spiny-toothed, short-petioled ; peduncles shorter than the- leaves, umbel- 

 lately 3 - 4-flowered ; calyx 4-toothed ; petals rounded ; drupe obovate, pointed 

 with the persistent style. — South Florida. — A small shrub. Leaves ^'-l' 

 lonK. 



