ILLUSTRATIONS OF INDIAN BOTANY. 181 



as bearing on the question mooted under Vacciniacece and Ericacece, the two divisions of this 

 order, bearing precisely the same relations to each other that these two orders do, hence, if 

 union is right in the one^ case, separation can scarcely be so in the other. Mr. Brown thus 

 defines the conjoint order in Horsefield's Plantae Javan. rariores. 



Character of the Order.^ Calyx 5-cleft, equal (rarely a little unequal). Corolla mono- 

 petalous, irregular, limb 5-lobed, imbricating in sestivation. Stamens 2-4-, antheriferous with or 

 without a fifth posticous rudimentary one. Ovary (free or aduate) 1-celled; (occasionally, by 

 the approximation of the placentae, apparently 2-ceIled) ; bound at the base by a lobed or entire 

 disk ; placentae two, parietal, lateral (usually bilamellate), many-seeded ; ovules anatropous. Peri- 

 carp capsular or baccate. Seed small (no raphe), albuminous or exalbuminous ; albupien fleshy, 

 soft, copious or sparing. Embryo straight, axile, orthotropous, when present about half the length 

 or as long as the albumen. — Herbs or undershrubs with simple, undivided, exstipulate, opposite, 

 verticelled or alternate leaves, often serrated or crenate, sometimes quite entire, for the most part 

 clothed with simple, acute or capitate pubescence. Inflorescence various. 



He divides the order into the three following sections. 



Geskerie^e. Calyx more or less connate with the ovary. Pericarp capsular. Seed with 

 copious albumen. 



Beslerie^. Calyx free. Pericarp baccate or capsular. Seed albuminous. 



Cyrt ANDREW. Calyx free. Pericarp capsular or baccate. Seed exalbuminous or sparingly 

 albuminous. 



Affinities. A glance at the component parts of this order will show that its affinities 

 must naturally be complex. The adherent calyx and copious albumen of the first tribe, brings 

 it in contact with some of the monopetalous calyciflorous orders, among which it is placed by 

 De Candolle, but from which it is far removed by its irregular didynamous flowers, 1-celled 

 ovary, and inflexed carpillary margins. These again with its albuminous seed bring it in con- 

 tact with GentianecB on the one side, and its irregular flowers with Orobanchacece on the other. 

 The free calyx and albuminous seed of the second, combined with its irregular flowers, brings it 

 into immediate contact with Orohanchaceds^ from which it is principally separated by habit: 

 while the third, having a free calyx and exalbuminous seed, passes almost directly into Big- 

 noniacecey through Eccremocarpus and ^schynanthus. 



Thus complex in its structure and organization, it seems most correctly placed here, as form- 

 ing in itself the connecting link between -the albuminous and exalbuminous division of the 

 Bignonal group, to each of which it seems so nearly related, as to be principally kept distinct 

 by habit, and, in the exalbuminous division, by the small size of its seed and short cotyledons as 

 compared with the radicle. Their relationship to the calyciflorous orders, I look upon as of 

 secondary moment, agreeing as they do in one point only, the partially adherent calyx, which 

 I look upon as of no note, when set against the widely difierent floral structure and fructification. 



Geographicai, Distribution, The two first of the above tribes are,^ as already men- 

 tioned, almost entirely confined to the tropical and warmer parts of America. The third is 



Africa: but thn Tna.«is of the tribe are natives of India and 



fleeted 



Mr 



Properties and Uses. 



Many 



J a disr 

 gardens, 

 None of 



been 



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