204. BORRAGINACEAE 463 



FAMILY 204. BORRAGINACEAE 



Leaves, at least the upper ones, alternate, undivided, without stipules, 

 usually hairy. Inflorescences usually raceme- or spike-like, cymose, one-sided, 

 and rolled back when young. Flowers 4 — 7-merous, mostly 5-merous, her- 

 maphrodite. Petals united below, with imbricate or contorted aestivation. 

 Stamens as many as and alternating with the corolla-lobes, inserted on the 

 tube or the throat of the corolla. Anthers opening inwards by longitudinal 

 slits. Disc more or less distinctly developed. Ovary superior, sessile, usually 

 iobed, 4-celled, rarely 2-celled. Ovule i in each cell ; micropyle superior. 

 Style I, undivided or 2 — 4-cleft, rarely {Coldenia) 2 free styles. Fruit a drupe 

 or a schizocarp formed of 2 — 4 dry and indehiscent nutlets, rarely (Wellstedia) 

 a capsule. Seeds erect or horizontal ; testa membranous ; albumen scanty or 

 wanting. — Genera 37, species 370. {ASPERIFOLIACEAE.) (Plate 132.) 



1. Style inserted at the apex of the ovary. Fruit usually succulent drupe- 



like and entire 2 



Style inserted between the lobes of the deeply 2— 4-lobed or 2— 4-parted 

 ovary. Fruit dry, of 2 — 4 nutlets. Flowers 5-merous. Herbs or 

 undershrubs, rarely shrubs. [Subfamily BORRAGINOIDEAE.] . 9 



2. Style twice 2-cleft ; stigmas 4. Ovary entire. Fruit a drupe with a i — 4- 



celled stone. Trees or shrubs. — Species 40. Tropical and South 

 Africa and Egypt. They yield timber, fibre, edible fruits, and medica- 

 ments. (Plate 132.) [Subfamily CORDIOIDEAE.] . Cordia L. 

 Style undivided or 2-cleft, rarely 2 free styles ; stigmas i — 2. Fruit a 

 drupe with 2 — 4 stones or a schizocarp separating mto several nutlets, 

 rarely a capsule 3 



3. Style with a stigmatose ring below the entire or 2-cleft apex. [Subfamily 



HELIOTROPIOIDEAE.] 4 



Style without a stigmatose ring below the apex. Ovary entire. ... 5 



4. Fruit more or less fleshy, drupe-like, with 2 — 4 stones. Seeds with a more 



or less copious albumen. Shrubs or trees. — Species 7. Tropical and 



South Africa. Used medicinally Tournefortia L. 



Fruit dry, of 2 — 4 nutlets. Seeds with a scanty albumen. Herbs or 

 undershrubs, rarely shrubs. — Species 60. Some of them are used as 

 vegetables or as ornamental or medicinal plants. (Including Messer- 

 schmiedia DC.) Heliotropium L. 



5. Ovary 2-celled. Style 2-cleft. Fruit a capsule. Flowers 4-merous. 



Shrubs. — Species i. Island of Socotra. . . Wellstedia Balf. fil. 



Ovary completely or incompletely 4-celled. Fruit a drupe. [Subfamily 



EHRETIOIDEAE.] 6 



6. Style simple with an entire or Iobed stigma. Shrubs 7 



Style 2-cleft or 2 free or almost free styles 8 



7. Anthers globose. Leaves orbicular. Inflorescence dense, spike Hke. 



— Species i. East Africa (Somaliland) Poskea Vatke 



Anthers oblong. Leaves oblong. Inflorescence loose, corymb-Hke. — 

 Species i. West Africa • . . . . Rhabdia Mart. 



