424 194- HOPLESTIGMATACEAE- — I95. EBENACEAE 



SUBORDER DIOSPYRINEAE , , . 



FAMILY 194. HOPLESTIGMATACEAE 



Trees. Leaves alternate, undivided, without stipules. Flowers in terminal 

 panicles. Calyx closed in the bud, subsequently cleft into 2 — 4 lobes. Corolla 

 with a short tube and 11— 14 imbricate segments. Stamens 23 — 34, inserted 

 in the tube of the corolla. Anthers opening lengthwise. Ovary i-celled 

 with 2 much projecting placentas. Ovules 4, pendulous inverted. Styles 

 2, united at the base, with roundish stigmas. Fruit a drupe with 2 empty 

 cavities. Seeds with a large embryo and scanty albumen. (Under FLA' 

 COURTIACEAE.) 



Genus i, species 2. Equatorial West Africa. . . Hoplestigma Pierre 



FAMILY 195. EBENACEAE 



Trees or shrubs. Leaves entire, without stipules. Flowers solitary or in 

 cymes in the leaf-axils, regular. Petals united below, with contorted, rarely 

 valvate aestivation. Stamens as many as the petals and opposite to them, or 

 more numerous, inserted at the base of the corolla-tube. Filaments free or 

 united in bundles. Anthers basifixed, 2-celled. Ovary superior, sessile, 

 2 — i6-celled. Ovules i — 2 in each cell, pendulous, inverted. Styles 2 — 8, 

 free or united at the base. Seeds with a copious, cartilaginous albumen and an 

 axile embryo." — Genera 6, species 150. Tropical and South Africa. (Plate 125.) 



1. Corolla with valvate aestivation. Stamens about 30. Flowers 4-merous, 



dioecious, the male in cymes, the female solitary. — Species i. Mada- 

 gascar. . . . Tetraclis Hiern 



Corolla with contorted aestivation. 2 



2. Stamens 2 — 3, with hairy filaments and linear anthers. Corolla 3 — 4- 



lobed. Flowers dioecious. Fruit oblong or ovoid. Leaves oblique 



at the base. — Species i. West Africa. . . . Rhaphidanthe Hiern 



Stamens 4 or more, very rarely 3, but then filaments glabrous and anthers 



oblong or lanceolate 3 



3. Stamens in a single row, 4 — 14, usually 10. Flowers usually herma- 



phrodite, 5-, rarely 4-, 6-, or 7-merous. Ovary 4 — lo-celled with i 

 ovule in each cell. Pericarp leathery. — Species 20. South and Central 



Africa. Some species yield timber Royena L. 



Stamens in 2 or more rows, very rarely in a single row, but then only 3. 

 Flowers unisexual, rarely polygamous. Pericarp usually fleshy. . 4 



4. Ovary 3-celled with 2 ovules, or 6-celled with i ovule in each cell ; in the 



latter case female flowers with staminodes. Flowers 3-merous, more 

 rarely 4 — 6-merous. Stamens usually 9, glabrous. Leaves alternate. — 

 Species 20. Tropical and South-east Africa. Some species yield 

 timber, edible fruits, and medicaments. (Plate 125.) Maba Forst. 

 ■ Ovary 4- or 8 — i6-celled, rarely 2- or 6-celled ; in the latter case female 

 flowers without staminodes. Flowers 4 — 7-, very rarely 3-merous. 

 Stamens usually 12 — 20. .. .<.... 5 



