[1. ZlZYPHUS. 



Fain. 37. RHAMNACEtE, 



Trees or shrub*, often scrambling or climbing furnished 

 with tendrils in Gouania and Helinus (and rarely in Venti- 

 lago). Frequently spinous or prickly. L. simple, alternate, 

 frequently basal-nerved. Stipules small, deciduous or 

 changed into prickles. Fls. small, green or yellowish, in 

 axillary cymes or running out iuto cymose panicles Calyx 

 4-5- merous, lobes triangular, valvate, often keeled within. 

 Petals 4-5, rarely 0, inserted on the margin of the disc or 

 on the throat of the calyx-tube (hypanthium) which is usually 

 filled or lined with the disc, usually very small and often 

 hooded over the small stamens, which are always inserted 

 opposite to the petals under or on the margin of the disc, 

 and are hence f equently perigynous. Anthers 2=celled. 

 Ovary free or Funk in the disc, usually superior in fruit, 

 but inferior in tribe Gouanieaa, 8-rarely 2-4-celled. Sty'e 

 short simple, rarely cleft. Ovule 1 in each cell, erect anatio- 

 pous. Fruit capsular or drupaceous, sometimes winged 

 3- rarely 1-4-celled. Albumen fleshy, larely 0. Embryo large 

 erect. 



A. Trees, shrubs or woody climbers with some of the 

 stipules converted into prickles. Young fruit 



superior drupaceous 1. Zizy<phu8, 



B. Climbing Bhrubs without prickles. 



1. Branchlets rarely circinate. Fruit superior or 



halt inferior, with a terminal narrow wing . 2. Ventilago. 



2. Some of the branchlets always ending in slender 

 tendrils, bit. inferior. 



L. with strong secondary nerves. Fruit 3-winged 

 and 3-valved 3. Gouania. 



L. with few slender secondary nerves. Fruit not 



winged 4. Helinus. 



1. Zi/yplius, Juss. 



Small trees or shrubs, sometimes scandent, usually with 

 stipulnry solitary or paired prickles ; when paired, one 

 member of the pair is generally straight and the other 



268 



