530 



THYMELACEiE. 



[Perigynous Exogens. 



Order CCIII. THYMELACE^.— Daphnads. 



Thymelsese, Jiiss. Gen. 76. (1789) ; R. Br. Prodr. 358 ; BartUng Ord. Nat. 114. (1830).-Daphnoideae, 

 Vent. Tabl. ii. 235. (1799) ; Endl. Gen. cix.— Daphnaceae, C. A. Meyer, Ann. Sc. xx. 45.— Antho- 

 bolese, Martins Conspectus, No. 81. (1835).— Exocarpese, Arnott in Edinb. Encycl. 128, a § of 

 Santalacese, (1832),— Hemandise, Bliime Bgdr. 550. (1825) ; Ed. Pr. cxlvi. ; Endl. Gen. p. 232. 



D I AGNOSis. — Daphnal 

 lengthwise, a 



with apetcdous or x>olypetalous flowers, anthers 

 suspended ovule, and an imbricated calyx. 



Stem shrubby, very seldom herbaceous, with tenacious bark. Leaves mthout sti- 

 pules, alternate or opposite, enth-e. Flowers capitate or spiked, terminal or axillary, 



Q> 



Fig. CCCLXII. 

 cotyledons plano-convex, some- 



Fig. CCCLXI. 



occasionally solitary, sometimes ^ - $ by abortion, often inclosed in an involucre. Calyx 



inferior, tubular, coloured; the limb 4-cleft, seldom 5-cleft, with an imbricated aestivation. 



Corolla 0, or sometimes scale-like petals in the orifice of the calyx. Stamens definite, 



inserted hi the tube or its orifice, often 8, sometimes 



4, less frequently 2 ; when equal m number to the 



segments of the calyx or fewer, opposite to them ; 



anthers 2-celled, dehiscing length^\dse in the middle. 



Ovary composed of a single carpel, with one soUtary 



pendulous anatropal o\Tile ; style 1 ; stigma undi- 



\dded. Fruit hard, dry, and nut- like, or drupaceous. 



Albumen none, or thm and fleshy ; embryo straight ; 



times lobed and crumpled ; radicle short, supei'ior. 



The true affinity of Daphnads, notmthstanding the commonness of the species, does 

 not seem well ascertained. They are generally associated with Oleasters ; and if the 

 genus Elseagnus really belongs to that Order, it must be admitted that the main distmc- 

 tion between the two Orders consists in the separate sexes of Oleasters. To Proteads 

 they certamly approach, especially in the stamens being opposite to the segments of the 

 calyx, but Daplmads have a pendulous ovule, and Proteads an erect one ; in the for- 

 mer, too, the calyx is imbricated, in the latter, valvate. Laurels are known by their 

 reflexed anther- valves. As to Sandalworts, with which Daphnads are often compared, 

 they are far removed by their inferior ovary and copious albumen. Aquilariads have a 

 compound ovary, and therefore belong to the Rhamnal Alliance. A supposed Natural 

 Order, called by Blume Hernandiaceae, merely consists of Daphnads with polygamous 



Fig. CCCLXI.— Daphne Mezereum. 1. a flower cut open ; 2. a vertical section of an ovarj' j 3. the 

 fniit. 



Fig. CCCLXII. — Daphne Mezereum. — Cr<«r/«er. 1. fruit ; 2. the same with a portion of the succu- 

 lent rind removed; 3. seed ; 4. embryo. 



