ILLUSTRATIONS OF INDIAN BOTANY. 179 
EXPLANATION OF PLATE 72. : 
Celatrus paniculata—l. Flowering branch male plant 7. A raceme of frnit—natural size. 
—natural size, 8. A seed—natural size. 
2. An expanded flower seen from above. ¥. The same—magnijied, 
. The same, the petals removed, but the disk not 10 seed cut transversely, showing the embryo 
clearly shown. surrounded by copious albumen 
4. Stameus back and front views. . Cut vertically, showing the embryo in situ, 
vary cut vertically, ovules erect. 12. The seed, the testa removed. 
4 trausversely, 3-celled, with two ovules 13, The embryo detached, cotyledons foliaceous, 
in each, 
LI1.—RHAMNEA. 
This like the last is a large order and like it distributed over every part of the world, 
except perhaps within the Polar circles being found throughout both the temperate, and the torrid 
zones. I[t consists for the most part of trees and shrubs, sometimes scandent, often erect, many 
of them armed with thorns or stipulary prickles. In most the leaves are alternate and in nearly 
all the flowers are sinall and inconspicuous, but with varied inflorescence, being axillary and 
fascicled, or subspicate, racemose or panicled. The fruit is equally variable being drupaceous 
and indehiscent with avery hard several-celled nut, or capsular and dehiscent, dividing into 
three valves, ey however nearly all agree in having a 4 or 5-cleft calyx with valvate wstiva- 
tion, small scale-like petals, and the stamens opposite the petals inserted under the edge of a 
flat disk which fills the whole cavity of the calyx, and covers the ovary: occasionally, as in 
Rhamnus, the flowers are unisexual, and one or two genera are said to have the ovary inferior. 
* Calyx 4-5-cleft ; estivation valvate. Petals distinct, unguiculate, cucullate or convolute, 
or rarely flat, inserted into the throat of the calyx, sometimes wanting. Stamens definite, oppo- 
site the petals. Torus a flat or urceolate disk. Ovarium free or more or less immersed in the 
disk, or adhering to the tube of the calyx, 2-3-4-celled: ovules solitary, erect. Fruit free or 
more or less cohering with the calyx, fleshy and indehiscent, or dry und separating in three 
cocci. Seeds erect. Albumen fleshy, rarely none. Embryo about as long as the seed: radicle 
short, inferior ; cotyledons large, flat.—Trees or shrubs, often thorny. Leaves simple, alternate 
(or rarely opposite), minutely stipulate.” 
Arrinities. These are somewhat complex as they are considered rather nearly allied to several 
orders far removed from them according to the arrangement followed here such as Euphorbiaceae, 
Bytineriacez, Rosacee, &c., but those with which they seem most nearly to associate are the 
Celastrinee and Iicine@, with which they were long confounded. From the former they were 
removed by Brown on account of their valvular, not imbricate, estivation of the calyx; their 
stamens opposite, not alternate with, the petals : their indehiscent not capsular fruit, or when cap- 
sular septicidal not loculicidal dehiscence. From Jlicinee they are separated by the valvate 
zstivation of their calyx and by their discoid polypetalous, not monopetalous diskless, flowers. 
ith Pomacee they agree in the determinate number of cells of the ovary, in their ascending 
ovules, and alternate leaves. Generally speaking however they are easily distinguished from all 
these by their minute scale-like petals opposite the stamens, such certainly is the case with all 
those I have met with in India. 
Geocrapaicat Distaisution. Of the numerous species referred to this order some are 
found suited to almost every climate, the Arctic and Antarctic circles excepted. Rhamnus 
cathartieus with some others being found extensively distributed through the more northerly 
countries of Europe, while Rhamnus hirsuta and Wightii are both found in the most southerly 
parts of India within a few degrees of the line—-New Holland: North and South America : the 
Cape of Good Hope and Senegal in Africa: the Eastern Islands and China all claim indigenous 
species of this extensively distributed order. In India they abound, every jungle being pro- 
fusely supplied with some species of Zizyphus, and of about 40 genera refe by Meisner to 
the order, 13 or about one-third of the whole are natives of India, showing how largely it par- 
takes of the tropical character. 
