330 



S^MYDACE^. 



[Hypogynous Exogens. 



Order CXII. SAMYDACE^E.— Samyds. 



Samydeae, Vent. Mem. Inst. 2. 142. (1807) ; G(srtn. fil. Carp. 3. 238. 242. (1805) ; Eunth. Nov. Gen. 5, 

 360. (1821) ; DC. Prodr. 2. 47. (1825) ; Endl. Gen. cxciv. ; Meisn. p. 72. 



Diagnosis. — Violal Exogens, with scattered apetalous tubular hermaphrodite flowerSf peri- 

 gynous stamens, and both round and linear transparent dots in the leaves. 

 Trees or slu'ubs. Leaves alternate, often somewhat distichous, simple, entire or 

 toothed, evergreen, with stipules, usually with pellucid markings, which are both hnear 

 and oblong. Peduncles axillary, sohtary, or numerous. Sepals 4-5, more or less co- 

 hering at the base, usually coloured inside ; aesti- 

 vation somewhat imbricated, very seldom com- 

 pletely valvate. Petals 0. Stamens arising 

 from the tube of the calyx, 2, 3, or 4 times as 

 many as the sepals ; filaments monadelphous, 

 either all bearing anthers, or alternately shorter, 

 villous or cUiated, and alternately bearing ovate 

 2-celled erect anthers. Ovary superior, 1 -celled ; 

 style 1, filiform ; stigma capitate, or shghtly 

 lobed ; o\ades 00, attached to parietal placen- 

 tae, ascending, half anatropal. Capsule coria- 

 ceous, with 1 ceU and from 3 to 5 valves, many- 

 seeded, the valves deliiscing imperfectly, often 

 somewhat pulpy mside, and colom*ed. Seeds 

 fixed to the valves, without order, on the papil- 

 lose or pulpy part, with a fleshy aril and exca- 

 vated hilum ; albumen oily or fleshy ; embryo 

 large, Ln the middle of it ; cotyledons ovate ; 

 radicle pouiting to the extremity remote from 

 the hilum. 



This Order, although petals are unknown in 

 it, was placed in Polypetalous Exogens by De 

 Candolle, who regarded a petaloid layer cover- 

 ing the iimer surface of the sepals as analogous 

 to a corolla. Although this cannot be admitted as 

 true, yet it may be taken as e\ddence of a tenden- 

 cy to assume a corolline state. Accorduig to 

 authors its apetalous flowers and parietal placen- 

 tation approximate it to Bixads, its dotted leaves 

 to Amyrids, near wliich De Candolle stations it, 

 and its perigjTious stamens to Roseworts, with 

 wliich its alternate stipulate leaves also ally it. 

 Its fruit, as m Casearia par%aflora, is sometimes 

 remarkably hke that of Violetworts. In habit 

 the Order approaches Smeathmannia among 

 Passionworts. The difficulty of coming to any 

 satisfactory conclusion in tliis matter, ai-ises 

 from the stamens ha\Tng a manifestly perigjaious 

 insertion ; and if this ck-cumstance is to be re- 

 garded as of the usual importance, it is certain that Samyds have no title to a place 

 among the Violal Alliance. If, however, we regard it as exceptional in the present 

 instance, we then find the Order very naturally associated, by the force of all its other 

 characters, with those among which it is now placed. Its composite fruit, with distinct 

 parietal placentation, is much the same as that of many Bixads on the one hand, and of 

 Lacistemads on the other ; and its sterile stamens appear to offer a plam indication of 

 a tendency to acquu'e the coronetted structm^e of Passionworts. Brown observes, that 

 Samyds are especially distinguished by theu' leaves haAing a mixtm-e of round and 



ccxxvi. 



Fig. CCXXVI.— Casearia grandiflora.— -4 . St. Hilaire. 1. part of a calyx split open ; 2. the pistil 

 half g^o^vn ; 3. section across the ovary ; 4. section of seed ; 5. seed ; 6. aril, removed from the seed. 



