GUTTIFERALES.] 



REAUMUllIACEiE. 



407 



Order CXLVII. REAUMURIACE^.— Reaumuriads. 



Reaumurieae, Ehrenberg in Ann. cles. Sc. 12. 78. (1827).— Reaumiu-iacese, Ed. pr. Ixx. ; Endl. Gen. 



ccxx. ; Meisner, p. 129. 



Diagnosis. — Guttiferal Exogens, imth oblique glandular petals, a few shaggy seeds, and 



long distinct styles. 



Small shrubs with fleshy scale-like leaves, which are alternate, have no stipules, and 

 are overspread by resinous sunk glands. 

 Calyx 5-parted, siuTounded externally 

 by imbricated bracts. Petals 5, hypo- 

 gynous, unequal-sided, sometimes ha\'ing 

 a pair of membranous plates planted 

 upon then* middle. Stamens definite or 

 indefinite, hypogjTious, monadelphous or 

 polyadelphous, with or without a hj'po- 

 gynous disk ; anthers ovate, tmTied in- 

 wards, and bursting longitudmally. Car- 

 pels free, 2- 4- 5, partially separate from 

 each other, surrounding a central pla- 

 centa which passes mto the base of each ; 

 ovules 2 or 4, ascendmg, anatropal ; 

 styles fihform, or subulate. Fimit cap- 

 sular, with 2 to 5 valves and as many 

 cells, unless the number is diminished 

 by abortion. Seeds shaggy, definite, 

 erect ; embryo straight, surromided by 

 a small quantity of mealy albumen ; 

 radicle next the liilum. 



Ehrenberg suggested (Ann. des Sc. 

 12. 78.) that Reaumiu'ia and Hololachna 

 might constitute a httle group, to be 

 called Reaumuriaceae. At that time the 

 true relations of plants were ill understood, 

 and if he had referred the genera he knew to Tutsans, he would never have had his 

 opuiion called in question. In fact there is nothing to distmguish these Orders except 

 that Reaumuriads have shaggy seeds, and appendages at the base of the petals, which 

 appear to be destitute of glands. They have no affinity with Ficoids or Tamarisks. 



Natives of the coast of the Mediterranean and the salt plams m the milder parts of 

 northern Asia. 



It seems that these plants abound m saline matter, a circumstance that is doubtless 

 owing to the situations in which they gi'ow. Reaumuria vermiculata is used at Alexan- 

 dria as a cure for itch. Its bruised leaves are applied externally, and a decoction is 

 administered internally. 



CCLXXXVI. 



ITololachna, Ehrenb. 



GENERA. 



Reaumuria, Hassclq. 



Eichwaldia, Lcdt'b. 



Numbers. Gen. 3. Sp. 4. 



Position. — Hypericacese. — Reaumuriace^e.- 



Fig. CCLXXXVI.— Reaumuria hypericoides. 1. a flower and its bracts ; 2. the same divided per- 

 pendiculariy ; 3. a petal j 4. capsule ; 5. seed divided perpendiculariy aud much maguitied. —Schndzkiii. 



