l86 68. AMARANTACEAE — 69. N YCTAGINACEAE 



30. Partial inflorescences consisting of i — 3 fertile and 4 — 6 sterile flowers, the 



latter reduced to branched spines. Collective inflorescence interrupted 

 below. Style very short. Herbs. — Species 2. South Africa and 

 German South-West Africa. (Under Marcellia Baill. or Sericocoma 



Fenzl) Sericorema Lopr. 



Partial inflorescences consisting of 3 fertile and 6 sterile flowers, the latter 

 reduced to long simple spines or bristles. Style thread-shaped. . . 31 



31. Sterile flowers elongating in the fruit into yellow spines. Herbs. — Species 



I. German East Africa. (Under Marcellia Baill.) Kentrosphaera Volk. 



Sterile flowers elongating in the fruit into yellow or brown, rather soft 



bristles. Shrubs. — Species 3. East Africa. (Under Marcellia Baill.) 



Dasysphaera Volk 



32. (4.) Perianth-segments spreading. Style short, with 2 — 4 stigmas. Fruit 



succulent, baccate. Herbs or undershrubs. Leaves ovate. — Species 



I. Tropics Deeringia R. Br. 



Perianth-segments erect. Fruit dry 33 



33. Fruit opening lengthwise. Style very short, with 2 — 3 stigmas. Fila- 



ments united at the base only. Leaves narrow. Shrubs. — Species i. 



Madagascar Henonia Moq. 



Fruit opening by a lid. Herbs or undershrubs 34 



34. Spurious staminodes longer than the stamens, 2-lobed. Style short. 



Leaves narrow. — Species 10. South Africa and southern Central 



Africa Hermbstaedtia Reichb. 



Spurious staminodes shorter than the stamens or wanting. — Species 30. 

 Tropical and South Africa. Some are used as vegetables or as textile, 

 ornamental, medicinal, or fodder-plants. (Including Lestiboudesia 

 Thou.) Celosia L. 



SUBORDER PHYTOLACCINEAE 



FAMILY 69. NYCTAGINACEAE 



Leaves entire, toothed, or lobed. Flowers regular. Perianth simple, 

 but often surrounded by a calyx-like involucre, 3 — 6-lobed, valvate or fokled 

 in the bud, persistent. Stamens with the filaments united below ; con- 

 nective narrow ; anthers opening laterally. Ovary superior, i-celled. Ovule 

 I, erect, inverted. Style i, lateral. Fruit a nut, enclosed by the enlarged and 

 hardened perianth. Seed albuminous. — Genera 5, species 30. (Plate 42.) 

 I. Seed with a straight embryo. Shrubs or trees. Leaves opposite. Flowers 

 in corymbs, inconspicuous. Involucre consisting of 2 — 3 small bracts. 

 Perianth tubular or campanulate, 4 — 5-toothed. Stamens 5 — 15. — 

 Species 6. Tropical and South-east Africa. (Plate 42.) [Tribe 



PISONIEAE.] Pisonia Plum. 



Seed with a curved embryo. Herbs or undershrubs, rarely shrub? or trees, 

 but then leaves alternate or fascicled and flowers in fascicles. Stamens 

 T-io. [Tribe MIRABILEAE.l 2 



