35<3 144. STERCULIACEAE 



Petals with an entire blade. Staminodes long. Fruit with a leathery rind, 

 indehiscent. Cotyledons wrinkled. Leaves entire or sinuate. Flowers 

 in cymes. — Species 3 (chiefly Th. Cacao L.). Cultivated in the tropics. 

 The seeds are used for the preparation of cocoa, chocolate, and cocoa- 

 butter, the pericarp for making a beverage. They yield also fibres and 

 are used in medicine. Theobroma L. 



16. Stamina] tube bcll-shaped. Anthers in short-stalked clusters of 3. Stam- 



inodes solitary, leaf-like, bent outwards. Shrubs. — Species 10. West 



Africa Scaphopetalum Mast. 



Staminal tube ring-shaped. Anthers singly upon long ftlaments. Stam- 

 inodes in bundles, thread-like. — Species 10. Central Africa. 



Leptonychia Turcz. 



17. Petals clawed, adhering to the cupular staminal tube. Anthers sessile or 



nearly so. Seeds exalbuminous. — Species 13. Tropics. 



Buettnera L. 



Petals sessile, free from the annular staminal tube. Anthers stalked. 



Seeds albuminous. — Species 2. Madagascar. . Ruelingia R. Br. 



18. (10.) Stamens and carpels inserted on a long gynophore. Petals unequal, 



one of them hooded, red, deciduous. Stamens in bundles of 3 alternating 

 with staminodes. Ovary 5-celled with 3 — 5 ovules in each cell. Trees. 

 — Species i. Comoro Island. Yields timber. [Tribe HELICTER- 



EAE.] Kleinhofia L. 



Stamens and carpels inserted on a very short gynophore or witliout a 

 gynophore. Petals equal or subequal, flat or slightly convex, not 

 hooded 19 



19. Fertile stamens 5 ; staminodes minute or wanting. Petals deciduous, 



usually slightly obhque. [Tribe HERMANNIEAE.] .... 20 



Fertile stamens 10 or more, rarely [Melhania) 5, but then alternating 



with long staminodes. Filaments united at the base. Petals usually 



very oblique and persistent. [Tribe DOMBEYEAE.] .... 22 



20. Filaments free, broadened at the base or above the middle. Ovary 5- 



celled, the cells alternating with the petals. Ovules 3 or more in each 

 cell. Seeds reniform ; embryo curved. Herbs, undershrubs, or small 

 shrubs. — Species 190. South and Central Africa. Some are used as 

 ornamental plants. (Including Maheniia L.) [Subtribe hermannixae.] 



Hermannia L. 

 Filaments united below, not broadened above. Ovary 5-celled, the cells 

 opposite to the petals, or i-celled. Ovules 2 in each cell. Seeds ellip- 

 tical ; embryo straight. [Subtribe melochinae] 21 



21. Ovar\' i-celled. Style i, simple ; stigma penicillate. — Species 2. Tropi- 



cal and South Africa and Canary Islands. Used medicinally. 



Waltheria L. 

 Ovary 5-celled. Styles or style-branches 5. — Species 5. Tropics ; one 

 species only naturalized. They yield fibres, vegetables, and medica- 

 ments. (Including Alt/ien'a Thouars) Melochia L. 



