Malvales.] 



VIVIANIACEvE. 



365 



Order CXXVIII. VIVIANIACE^.— Vivianiads. 

 Vivianiacese, Klotzsch in Linncea, 10. 433. (1836) ; Meisner, Gen. 58 ; Endl. Gen. p. 1169. 



Diagnosis. — Malval Exogens, with free stamens, no disTc, seeds with albumen, a curved 



embryo, po-manent petcds, and ribbed calyx. 



Herbaceous or half-shrubby plants. Leaves opposite or whorled, enth'e or notched 



without stipules, often covered beneath with a hoary down. Flowers in panicles or 



corj-mbs, white, red, or pmk. Ca- 

 lyx ten-ribbed, with 5 valvate 

 divisions. Petals 5, hyjDogjTious, 

 fui'nished with claws, often drjing 

 up and remaining permanently 

 roimd the seed-vessel, with a 

 twisted sestivation. Stamens 10, 

 hypogj-nous ; those opposite the 

 sepals uasertedinto a fleshy gland ; 

 filaments distinct ; anthers 2- 

 celled, opening lengthwise. Ovary 

 free, 3-celled ; stigmas 3, sessile ; 

 ovules 2 in each cell, attached to 

 the central axis, one ascending, 

 the other suspended. Capsule 

 3-lobed, 3-celled, sphtting through the cells ; the valves 

 bearing the partitions in the middle. Seeds roughish, con- 

 taining a curved embryo lying among a large quantity of 

 fleshy albumen ; cotyledons linear ; radicle next the 

 hilum. 



The few plants which recent WTiters have combined 

 into this Natm'al Order, have been generally refeiTed to 

 some place in the Geranial Alhance, from aU which they 

 are distinguished by theu' valvate calyx ; from Indian 

 Cresses (Tropeeolacese) they are distinguished by then- 

 small albuminous seeds, and regulai' flowers ; from Mal- 

 lowworts, &c. by their not ha\ang columnar stamens. 

 Their ribbed calyx and permanent withering corolla 

 are quite peculiar. It may be that we have here an ap- 

 proach to Frankeniads. 



All the members of this Order which have yet been 

 discovered inhabit Chili and South Brazil. 



They are not reported to possess any useful properties ; 

 but the Vivianias would be pretty greenliouse plants if they 

 could be procured. 



Fig. CCLIII 



GENERA. 



Csesarea, Cambess. 

 Viviania, Cav. 



Macrcea, Lindl. 



Xeropetalon, Hook. 



Cissarobryon , Popp. 

 Linostigma, Klotsch. 



Numbers. Gen. 4. Sp. 15. 

 Position. — TiHacese. — Vivianiacese. — Tropseolaceae. 



Fig. CCLIII.— Viviania crenata ; 1. a flower; 2. a section of the ovary : 3. stamens and ovary. 



