Myrtales.] 



COMBRETACEiE. 



17 



Oai)KU CCLXXIV. COMBRETACE^.— Myrobalans. 



Combretaceae, R. Brown Prodr. 351. (1810) in Flinders, 2, 548. (1814) ; A. Rich Diet Clnt» 4 ^-.t • 

 nC.Prod. 3. 9; Memoire (1828); Barll. Ord. Nat p. :^22. (183f ) • ^m// Cm cclVi 1^^ 



S^!^^f,o'.--^'^-r ^^-"I'S^J-.^^' BUa>,einAnn. Sc. N. 5.2.95. (1834)'; Marliu, Ca>i>p^ctus 

 ^o. 83. (183o).— CoTocarpeae, Kees ab Kwnb. Laurin. Exposilio 20. (1833; ; Endl. Gen. » 324 _ 

 ^lyroh&lanese, Jim. Diet. Sc. Nat. 31. 458. {lS2i). ' >> ui. ue«. p. .i^4.— 



BiAGmsis.—Myrtal Exogens, with a l-ceUed ovarij, 2^endnlom ovules, dotless hares, serds 

 ^vithont albumen, and convolute cotyledons. 



Trees or shrubs. Leaves alternate or opposite, without stipules, entire. Tiie 

 petiole often with 2 glands at the end. Spikes axillary or tei-minal. Flowers 0, or 



Fig. CCCCLXXVIII. 



by abortion ^ ^ . Calyx adherent, with a 4- or 5-lobed deciduous limb. Petals 

 arising from the orifice of the calyx, alternate with the lobes ; often wanting. Stamens 

 arising from the same part, twice as many as the segments of the calyx, very rarely 

 equal to them in number, or three times as many ; filaments distinct, suljulate ; anthere 

 2-celled, bursting longitudinally, or by recurved valves. Ovary 1 -celled, with from 

 2 to 4 ovules, hanging by cords from the apex of the cavity ; style 1 ; stigma simple. 

 Fruit drupaceous, baccate, or nut-like, 1 -celled, by abortion 1 -seeded, indehiscent, often 

 winged. Seed pendulous, without albumen ; embryo \vith the radicle turned towards 

 the hilum ; plumule inconspicuous ; cotyledons leafy, usually convolute, occasionally 

 plaited. 



It cannot be doubted that IVIyrobalans have a near relationship to Myrtleblooms, and 

 especially to Punica, of which they possess the convolute embryo. But although their 

 connection with the Myrtal Alliance seems beyond conti'adiction, yet the absolute sim- 

 plicity of theu* ovary renders it necessary to station them nearest other Orders. Their 

 inferior fruit, with a single cavity, and often with a single ovule, and the great t^^ndency 

 that exists among them to collect their flowers in heads, furnish reasons for regarding 

 them as standing in close relation to Composites, and as presenting a higher form of 

 development of that well-known Order. The great frequency of an apetalous sti-ucture 

 among them is one of their more remarkable features, and indicates a tendency to assume 

 the condition of Sandalwoods or Oleasters, from both which however they are separated 

 by other considerations. Gyrocarpus and Illigera, sometimes separated under the 

 name of Gyrocarpete or Illigeracese, are in no respect es sentially distinguishable exce pt 



Fig. CCCCLXXVIII.— Combretuin (or Poivrea* purpureuni. 1. a flower cut open ; 2. a section of tlie 

 ovary ; 3. fruit of Terminalia ? ( Wight) ; 4. cross sectiou of tlie embryo. 



