386 175- I'l'NICACEAE — 176. LECTYHIDACEAE 



FAMILY 175. PUNICACEAE 



Trees or shrubs. Lea\cs undivided, without stipules. Flowers solitary 

 or in clusters of 2 — 5 at the ends of the branches, regular, hermaphrodite. 

 Sepals 5 — 8, red, fleshy, valvate in bud. Petals as man}-, red or yellow, im- 

 liricate and crumpled in the bud. Stamens numerous, curved inwards in the 

 bud. Anthers fi.xed by the back, opening inwards by longitudinal slits. Ovary 

 inferior or half-inferior, with several cells, which are usuallj' arranged in 2 — 3 

 whorls placed one above the other. Ovules numerous, at first basal, afterwards 

 parietal, inverted. Style simple ; stigma i. Fruit a berr}'. Seeds exalbumin- 

 ous, with an outer flesh}' and an inner horny coat ; embryo straight, with 

 twisted cotyledons. [GRANATEAE, under LY THRACE A E.) 



Genus i, species 2. One of them growing wild in the Island of Socotra, 

 the other one (P. GranaUim L., pomegranate) cultivated and naturalised' 

 in northern and tropical Africa. The latter serves as an ornamental 

 plant and yields wood, tanning and dyeing materials, medicaments, 

 and edible fruits, from which also a drink is prepared. Punica L 



FAMILY 176. LECYTHIDACEAE 



Trees or shrubs. Leaves alternate, undivided, without stipules. Flowers 

 sohtary or racemose, hermaphrodite. Sepals 2 — 5. Petals 4 — 6, adnate to 

 the staminal tube, imbricate in bud, or wanting. Stamens numerous, united 

 at the base, curved in the bud. Anthers versatile, usually basifixed, opening by 

 longitudinal slits. Disc within the stamens, ring-shaped. Ovary inferior, 

 2— 20-celled, with 2 or more inverted ovules in each cell. Style simple. I'ruit 

 indehiscent. Seeds exalbuminous. — Genera 4, species 15. Tropical and South- 

 east Africa. {\JndQx MYRTACEAE.) (Plate iii.) 

 J. Petals and staminodes absent. Sepals 3 — 5, usually 4. Stamens almost 

 free. Disc obscure. Ovules numerous in each cell, inserted in a 

 vertical ring round a shield-shaped placenta, horizontal, the micropyle 

 turned outwards. Stigmas 4. Fruit a drupe. Leaves clustered. 

 Flowers solitary, axillary. — Species 4. Madagascar and Mascarenes. 

 Yielding timber. [Subfamily FOETIDIOIDEAE.] Foetidia Comm. 

 Petals or staminodes present. Stamens obviouslv united at the base. 

 Disc distinct. Ovules inserted in rows on slightly thickened placentas, 

 horizontal with tlie micropyle turned inwards, or ascending, or pendu- 

 lous. Flowers racemose, rarely solitary, but then leaves scattered. . 2 

 .2. Sepals 5. Petals o. Stamens and staminodes united to different heights, 

 in 4 concentric rows, the inner row partly fertile, the rest barren. Anthers 

 I -celled. Disc thick. Ovary 5 — 20-celled. St3de short ; stigmas 5. 

 Seeds 5 or more. Flowers solitary or 2 — 3 together, axillary. Leaves 

 scattered. — Species 5. Centnil Africa. They yield timber and edible 

 fruits. [Subfamil\ NAPOLEONOIDEAE.J . . Napoleona Beauv. 

 Sepals 2 — 4. Petals 4 — (>. Stamens all fertile or the innermost barren, 

 all united to the same height. Anthers 2-celled. Disc ring-shaped. 



