LVIII. LYTITTtACE-i:. 505 



Order LVIII. LYTHRACE^. 



Trees, shrubs, or herbs ; brandies often 4-gonoiis. Leaves entire, 

 usually opposite, sometimes alternate or whorled ; stipules 0. Flowers 

 hermaphrodite, usually regular, cymose or paniculate. Calyx usually 

 free, persistent ; primary teeth or lobes 3-6, with sometimes as many 

 accessory teeth added, valvate. Petals as many as the primary teeth of 

 the calyx, rarely fewer or 0. Stamens definite or indefinite, inserted at 

 various heights on the calyx-tube. Ovary superior (rarely inferior), 

 l--6-celled ; ovules many, placentas axile, rarely parietal ; style usually 

 filiform ; stigma capitate, rarely 2-lobed. Fruit capsular or baccate, 

 membranous or coriaceous, girt round the base by the calyx or entirely 

 included in it (or rarely surmounted by it), 2-G-celled or, by the imper- 

 fection of tbe partitions, 1-celled, variously dehiscent (rarely indehiscent). 

 Seeds numerous, sometimes winged; albumen 0; embryo usual!)' straight; 

 cotyledons usually oblong or orbicular, tlat, 2-auricled at the base and 

 with a short radicle. — Distbib. Chiefly tropical ; genera 30 ; speciea 

 about 275. 



Herbs 1. Ammannia. 



Shrubs or trees. 



Stamens 12 2. Woodfordia. 



Stamens 8 3. Lawsonia. 



Stamens indefinite. 



Fruit a 3-6-celled, 3-6-vaIved capsule 4. Laoerstrcemia. 



Fruit a many-celled indehiscent berry 5. Sonneratia. 



1. AMMANNIA, Linn. 



Annual usually glabrous herbs ; stem usually 4-gonons. Leaves 

 entire, opposite (rarely alternate) or whorled ; stipules 0. Flowers 

 small, axillary, solitary and subsessile, or in small trichotomous cymes ; 

 bracteoles usually 2. Calyx more or less deeply campanulate ; teeth 3-7, 

 often with intermediate teeth or folds. Petals 3-7 or 0, inserted be- 

 tween the calyx-teeth. Stamens 2-8, inserted in the middle of the 

 calyx-tube ; filaments filiform. Ovary superior, 1-5- celled, the septa 

 often becoming absorbed ; ovules very numerous, plncentas axile ; style 

 filiform, exserted ; stigma capitate. Capsule membranous, enclosed in 

 (though free from) the persistent calyx, globose or ellipsoid, 1-5-celled, 

 dehiscing by valves or irregularly breaking up or circumsciss. Seeds 

 minute, very numerous. — Distbib. Marshy and moist places in the 

 Tropics and warmer regions of the world ; species 30. 



Capsule 2-valved. 



Flowers axillary, solitary 1. A. peploidcs. 



Flowers in terminal spicate racemes. 



Leaves opposite 2. A. tenia's. 



Leaves alternate 3. A. floribunda. 



Capsule 3-valved. 



Leaves in whorls of 3-6 4. A. Rotala. 



Leaves iu opposite pairs b. A. pentandra. 



Capsule 4-valved. 



Flowers axillary, solitarj' ; leaves elliptic 6. A. Ritchiei, 



Flowers in terminal spicate racemes ; leaves orbicular 7. A. rotund if olia. 



Capsule circumsciss or bursting irregularly. 

 Capsule wholly covered by the calyx. 



Calyx distinctly 4- winged 8. A. oetandra, 



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