768 



GALIACEiE. 



[Epigynous Exogens. 



Order CCXCV. GALIACE^.— Stellates. 



Stellatse, Ray Synops. 223. (1690) ; R'. Brown in Conqo, (1818),— Galiese, Turp, in Atlas du Noiiv. Diet, 

 des Sc. (?)— Rubiaceae, § Stellatas, Cham, et Schlecht. in Linncea, 3. 220. (1828) ; DC. Prodr. 4. 

 580 ; Bartl. Ord. Nat. 209 ; Endl. Gen. p. 522; Meisner, p. 173.— Rubiacese, § Galieae, N. db Es. et 

 Fuhlrott. Nat. Pfanz. Syst. 165. (1829). 



Diagnosis. — CincJional Exogens, with epipetalous atamens, straight anthers bursting longi- 

 tudinally, didymous fruit, and verticillate leaves xoithout stipides. 



Herbaceous plants, -with whorled leaves, destitute of stipules, and angular stems. 

 Flowers minute. Calyx superior, obsolete, or 4- 5- or 6-lobed. Corolla monopetalous. 



valvate, rotate,or tubular, regu- 

 lar, inserted into the calyx; the 

 number of its divisions equal 

 to those of the calyx. Sta- 

 mens equal in number to the 

 lobes of the corolla, and alter- 

 nate \vith them. Ovary pel- 

 tate or 2-celled ; ovules soli- 

 tary, erect ; styles 2 ; stigma simple. Fruit a did^Tuous, 

 indehiscent pericarp, \Ai\\ 2 cells and 2 seeds. Seeds 

 erect or peltate, sohtary ; embryo in the axis of hoi'uy 

 albumen ; radicle inferior ; cotyledons leafy. 



There can be little doubt that the inconspicuous 

 weeds of which this Order is composed have as strong 

 Fig. DIX. a claim to be separated from Cinchonads as that Order 



from Caprifoils. It is true that no very positive 

 characters are to be obtained from the fructification, but the want is abundantly 

 suppUed by the square stems and verticillate leaves without stipvdes, fonning a kind of 

 star, from which cu'cumstance the name Stellate is derived. Nevertheless, Botanists 

 in most intances appear to be against this opinion : I confess I caimot conceive upon 

 what grounds. Usually a material dissimilarity in habit, if accompanied by any clear 

 character, whether of vegetation or fructification, is considered sufficient for the 

 separation of a group of plants into two Orders ; in this case the weak angular stems 



Fig. DIX. — Galium Aparine 

 section of a ripe fruit. 



1. a flower ; 2. a young fruit without the corolla ; 3. a perpendicular 



