334 Plants and their Ways in South Africa 



Mahernia, formerly regarded as a separate genus, is placed 

 in a sub-section of Hermannia by Engler. In Mahernia there 

 is a sudden cross-like broadening of the stamens above the 

 middle. 



Order Pen^ace^. 



This order is confined to the narrow limits of the south- 

 western region of the Cape Province. Its six genera, compris- 

 ing twenty-two species, are all heath-like, xerophytic shrubs 

 with opposite evergreen leaves. 



Flowers regular, 4-parted ; calyx coloured, persistent, 

 valvate, enlarging ; petals wanting. Stamens 4, alternating 

 with the sepals, borne at the throat of the tubular receptacle. 

 Ovary free, 4-locular, styles simple, ovules 4-2 in each loculus, 

 anatropous, ex-endospermous. Fruit a capsule. Flowers 

 axillary, solitary, or in pairs, surrounded with showy bracts 

 which are resinous in Sarcocolla. 



Ovules 2 in each loculus, erect. 



Styles 4-angled or winged ; stigmas 4, placed 

 crosswise. 



Styles 4-winged Pen^a. 



Styles 4-angled, not winged .... Stylapterus. 

 Styles terete ; stigmas 4-lobed capitate . 

 Calyx tubes not longer than the lobes ; stamens 



included Brachysiphon. 



Calyx tube longer than lobes ; stamens ex- 



serted ; bracts resinous .... Sarcocolla. 



Ovules 4 in each loculus, 2 ascending, 2 hanging. 

 Calyx tube 4-ribbed, scarcely longer than lobed. 



Flowers crowded in dense spikes . . . Glischrocolla. 



Calyx tube long ; flowers axillary scattered . Endonema. 



The few genera and species, their limited distribution and the 



development of the embryo sac which Miss Stephens has investigated, 



goes to confirm the belief that this endemic order is a very primitive 



one. 



Order Geissoi.omatace/e 



This order, containing but one genus, was formerly included 

 among the Penaeack^: but has been removed because of the 

 following characters. 



