12 MENISPERMACE.^. 



and fleshy fruit with its stone and enclosed embryo 

 curved into a horse-shoe or crescent shape. The parts 

 of the flower are usually in sixes, except that there may be 

 only one carpel, or in some species as many as twelve. 

 The curved stone is the most characteristic feature, and 

 gives the name to the family (menis = the crescent moon, 

 sperma = a seed). 



Genera 58. Species 200 ; in the warmer parts of the world. 



STEPHANIA. F.B.I. 5 XII. 



Leaves peltate, sepals six to ten ; petals three to five 

 shorter; stamens connected together as a column in the 

 centre of the flower with a broad top along the edges of 

 which the anthers open by horizontal slits ; carpel one 

 only with three-partite style ; stone of fruit tubercled 

 along the back, hollowed at the sides. 



Species about 30, in Asia, Africa and south Australia. 



Stephania hcrnandifolia Walp. ; F.B.I. i 103, XII I. A 

 tender twining plant, with heart-shaped leaves attached 

 inside the margin, and small heads, not ^ inch across, of 

 minute flowers, in stalked umbels of three to five heads. 

 Distinguished at once by these characteristics from all 

 our plants. 



Stem slender, angled, glabrous, as also the whole 

 plant. Leaves alternate, stalks % inch, blade usually 

 i^ by i]/2 inches but up to 6 inches diameter (F.B.I.) 

 broadly ovate, or triangular with the basal corners round, 

 and nerves radiating from the point of attachment. 

 Stalks of umbels I inch, but variable ; stalks of the 

 heads to /4 inch, in the axils of small narrow bracts. 

 Male flowers numerous, % inch across or slightly more 

 when fully expanded. Sepals six or eight, in two series, 

 oblong. Petals opposite the outer sepals, about half as 



