86 Linnean Society. [Dec. 15, 



of Olacinea, and enumerating the genera hitherto referred to that 

 family, Mr. Bentham enters into a detailed examination of its cha- 

 racters and of their modifications in the different genera, the most 

 important of which he condenses into the following character of the 

 Order. 



Old. OLACINE^. 



Calyx parvus, liber v. basi adnatus, truncatus v. denticulatus, fructifer 

 persistens immutatus v. auctus. CoroUts petala 4, 5, v. 6 hypogyna v. 

 subperigyna, subcoriacea, asstivatione valvata, libera v. per paria con- 

 nexa v. basi in tubum coalita. Sfamma definite, cum petalis inserta, 

 iis coalita v. libera, numero petalovum dupla v. aequalia fertilia rarius 

 asymmetrica, alterna saepe sterilia difformia. Antherae intrors^, bilo- 

 culares, loculis rima longitudinal! dehiscentibus. Ovarium toro nunc 

 parvo, nunc incrassato et interdum cum calyce concrete insidens, l-lo- 

 culare (nunc spurie et incomplete 3 — 4-loculare) v. rarius excentrice 3- 

 loculare. Ovula in loculo 2, 3 v. 4 coUateralia, rarius solitaria, ab apice 

 placentae liberse v. ovario v. dissepimentis spuriis connatae pendula, ana- 

 tropa. Stylus erectus, simplex, stigmate nunc truncate tenui, nunc 

 incrassato 2 — 3 — 4-lobo. Drupa calyce immutato stipata v. ampliato 

 cincta, velata v. adnata, pericarpio tenui carnoso v. exsucco, putamine 

 crustaceo v. osseo, abortu 1-spermo, rariiis 2 — 3-spermo. Semen in- 

 versum, v. saepius placenta cum illo a basi concreta spuria erectum, 

 umbilico lato basilari affixum. Embryo in axi albuminis copiosi carnosi, 

 rectus, apici fructus proximus, nunc brevissimus, rarius dimidio albu- 

 minis longior. radicula apicem fructus spectante brevissima, cotyledo- 

 nibus semiteretibus, plumula inconspicua. Arhores v. frutices erecti 

 V. interdum scandentes, inermes v. ramis axillaribus spinescentibus ar- 

 mati, glabi'iv. parce pubescentes. i^oZia alterna, simplicia, integeiTima, 

 exstipulata, glandulosa. Flores hermaphroditi, v. abortu polygami, 

 nunc axillares distincte v. irregulariter racemosi, spicati v. cymosi, nunc 

 terminales cymoso-paniculati, rariiis solitarii laterales v. axillares. Brac- 

 tece squamaeformes, seepius minutse, rariiis juniores imbricatae. Brac- 

 teolce parvae in cupulam connatae v. nullse. 



Mr. Bentham distinguishes three tribes characterized as follows : 

 Trib. I. OLACEiE. Ovarium basi dissepimentis spuriis (rarius evanidis) 

 3 — 4-loculare, apice 1-loculare, placenta centrali dissepimentis spuriis 

 basi adhaerente superne libera. Ovula tot quot loculi spurii ex apice 

 placentas pendula. Semen erectum. Injlorescent'm axillaris, racemosa, 

 racemis rarius ad florem unicum reductis . 



Trib. II. OpiLiEiE. Ovarium a basi 1-loculare. Ovulum (saltem per an- 

 thesin) unicum, minimum, ab apice placentae liberae centralis pendu- 

 lum. Stylus centricus. Semen erectun\. Injlorescentia axillaris, ra- 

 cemosa. 



Trib. III. IcAciNE.E. Ovarium a basi 1-loculare, v. excentrice et complete 



