Umbellales.] 



BRUNIACE/E. 



78. 





Order CCC. BRUNIACEiE.— Bruniads. 



Bruniacese, R. Brown in Abel's China (1818, ; DC. Prodr. 2. 43 ; Ad. Bronqniart in Ann da Sc Nat ■ 

 F.ndl. Gen. cLwiii..; Arnott in Hook. Journ. 3.259.— Grubbiacese, Endl. Enchirid. p 403 (1841 • 

 Ophu-iacere, Arnott in Hooker's Jviirnal, '3.266. (1841). ' 



Diagnosis. — Umhellal Exogem, without a double epigijnous disk; with a 3- (or 1-) celled 

 fruity imbricated corolla, alternate leaves without stiptdcs, and anthers turned out- 

 wards, opening lengthwise. 



Branched, heath-like shrubs. Leaves small, imbricated, rigid, entire, witli a callous 

 poiut. Flowers small, capitate, or panicled, or even termmal, and solitary ; either naked, 

 or with large involucratiug bracts. Calyx 

 superior, 5-cleft, imbricated, occasionally 

 nearly inferior. Petals alternate with the 

 segments of the calyx, arising from its 

 throat, imbricated (or valvate ?). Stamens 

 alternate with the petals, arising from the 

 same pomt, or from a disk surrounding the 

 ovary ; anthers turned outwards, 2-celled, 

 burstmg longitudinally. Ovary half inferior, 

 with fi'ora 1 to 3 cells, in each of which 

 there is from 1 to 2 suspended collateral 

 anatropal ovules ; sometimes 1- celled from 

 the abortion of carpels or dissepiments ; 

 style simple or bifid ; stigma simple. 

 FxTiit dicoccous or indehiscent, 2- or 1- 

 celled, crowned by the persistent calyx. 

 Seeds solitary or in pairs, suspended, some- 

 times %\'ith a short aril ; albumen fleshy ; 

 embi'yo minute at the base of the seed, with 

 a conical radicle, and short fleshy cotyledons. 



The relationship of these plants to Witch 

 Hazels is admitted, and therefore they ^^ill 

 participate in all the other affinities of that 

 Order, which is known from Bininiads by 

 the habit, stipules, and often deciduous 

 valves of the anthers. Brongniart indicates 

 an affinity with Mp'tleblooms tlu'ough Im- 

 bricaria, which is very nearly constructed 

 as true Brtmiads, but has the stamens opposite the petals, and dotted leaves. He also 

 considers that Cornels bear them much real affinity, and he even contrasts them with 

 Umbellifers, to wliich they no doubt approximate very nearly. The genus Raspailia is 

 remarkable for having the stamens arising from the top of a superior ovary ! and Thani- 

 nea is an instance of a 1 -celled ovary with the ovules adheruig to a central columnar 

 axis. Mr. Arnott considers the gi'oup named by him Ophiriacere to be intermediate 

 between Bruniads and Witch Hazels. 



All are found at the Cape of Good Hope, with the exception of a single species inhabit- 

 ing Madagascar. 



Their properties are unknown. 



GENERA. 



^^a«J^^ 



Fig. DXX. 



Berzelia, Brongn. 

 Brunia, Linn. 



Kehclia, Neck. 

 Beckea, Burm. 

 Raspailia, Brongn. 

 Staavia, Thunb. 



Levisanus, Schreb. 



Astrocoma, Neck. 

 Berardia, Brongn. 



Nchelia, Sweet. 



9 Ftijxostoma, Vahl. 

 Linconia, Linn. 

 Audouinia, Brongn. 



I Pavinda, Thunb. 

 jTittmannia, Brongn. 



MOsslera, Reichenb. 

 IThamnea, Soland. 

 IHeterodon, Meim. 



Rabenhorstia , Rchb. 



I Gravenhorstia, AVc*. 

 I Erasma, R. Br. 

 'Gruhbia, Berg. 



Ophiria, L. 

 Ophiria. Ltvn. 



Stiobilocarpiu, Eltzh. 



Numbers. Gen. 15. Sp. 65. 



Santalacea. 



-Bruniace.e.- 



Myrtacecc. 



Position. — Hamamelidaceje. 



-Apiacea?. 



Fig. DXX.-Bninia no^y^ora..— Brongniart. 

 pistil divided perpendicularly ; 4. half a seed. 



1. a flower; 2. a perpendicular section of it; 3. the 



3e 



