Myrtales.] 



LECYTHIDACE.E. 



739 



Order CCLXXXIII. LECYTHIDACEiE.— Lecyths. 



Lecythideae, Richard, MSS. Poiteau Mem. Miit. 13. 141. (1825) ; DC. Prodr. 3. 290 ; a sect, of Myrtacex. 

 Ach. Richard in Ann. des Sc. 1. 321; Bartl. Ord. Nat. 332 ; Martina Conspec. No. 320. (18351 ; 

 Endl. Gen. p. 1284 ; Meisner, 109. 



Diagnosis. — Myrtal Exor/ens, with a plurilocular ovary y polypetalous flotvcrs, a ralvatc or 

 imbricated calyx, 00 stamens in part collected into a fleshy hoody ohlong anthers, and 

 dotkss leaves. 



Large trees, with alternate entire or toothed leaves, minute deciduous stipules, and no 

 pellucid dots. Flowers large, showy, terminal, solitarj', or racemose. Calyx superior, 



2- to 6-leaved, or uroeo- 

 late, with a divided 

 limb ; aestivation val- 

 vate or imbricated. 

 Corolla consisting of G 

 petals sometimes coher- 

 ing at the base, with 

 an imbricated aestiva- 

 tion. Stamens indefi- 

 nite, epig)-nous ; a por- 

 tion of them connected 

 into a single petaloid 

 cucullate unilateral 

 body, which is some- 

 times quite destitute of 

 anthers. Ovary infe- 

 rior, 2- to 6-celled ; 

 o\'ules definite or inde- 

 finite, attached to the 

 axis ; stigma simple. 

 Fruit a woody capsule, 

 either opening with a 

 Ud or remaining closed. 

 Seeds several, covered 

 by a thick integument ; 

 embryo without albu- 

 men, either undivided, 

 or with two large plaited 

 leafy or fleshy cotyle- 

 dons, sometimes folded 

 upon the radicle, which 

 is next the hilum. 



Combined by De 

 Candolle and others 

 with Myrtleblooras, 

 from which they differ 

 in their great almond- 

 hke seeds and alternate, 

 often seiTated leaves, 

 without pellucid dots. 

 For an account of the 

 They agree with Barring- 



Fig. CCCCXCIV. 



3. 32. 



germination of Lecythis, see Du Petit Thoiuars, Ess . „ 



toniads in many respects, but they have stipules, and their singular hooded plate of ste- 

 rile or additional stamens is most remarkable. They are distinguished from Mangroves 

 by their seeds having no power to germinate in the seed-vessel, in addition to the pecu- 

 liarity of their stamens. r - • \ e e 



Among other attributes is that of often formmg a large woody fruit m the torm ot 

 an urn, from which the top spontaneously separates in the fonn of a lid. 



Natives of the hottest parts of South America, especially of Guiana. 



Fig. CCCCXCIV.— Lecythis ovata.— iliM/. de St. Hilaire. 



3 B 2 



a flower di\ided peri>€ndicularly ; 2. a 



