5lt> 2IÖ. PI ANTAGINACEAE — 2I9. RUHIACEAIi: 



Flowers monoecious, the male solitary, the female at their base, solitary 

 or several together ; the latter with a bag-shaped, 2 — 4-toothed corolla. 

 Ovule I. Fruit indehiscent, i-seeded. — Species i. Azores. 



Litorella L. 

 Flowers hermaphrodite or polygamous, in 2- or more-flowered spikes 

 or heads, all with a 4-lobed corolla. Ovules 2 or more. Fruit dehiscent, 

 2- or more-seeded. — Species 40. Some of them yield food for cattle 

 and birds, vegetables, medicaments, soda, and a mucilage. " Plantain." 

 (Plate 143.) Plantago L. 



ORDER RUBIALES 



FAMILY 219. RUBIACEAE 



Leaves opposite or whorled, entire, provided with sometimes leaf-like sti- 

 pules. Flowers regular or nearly so, but sometimes with a curved corolla- 

 tube. Petals united below. Stamens as many as the corolla-lobes, inserted 

 on the corolla, free. Anthers opening by two longitudinal slits, rarely {Argos- 

 tetna) by i — 2 apical pores. Ovary inferior, rarely (Gaertnera) superior, usually 

 2- or more-celled. Ovules inverted. Style i, or several styles united at the 

 base. — Genera 150, species 1900. (Plate 144.) 



1. Ovules solitary in each ovary-cell. [Subfamily COFFEOIDEAE.] . . 2 

 Ovules two or more in each ovary-cell. [Subfamily CINCHONOIDEAE.] 81 



2. Ovules pendulous or descending ; micropyle superior. Radicle of the 



embryo superior 3 



Ovules ascending ; micropyle inferior. Radicle of the embryo inferior, 30 



3. Corolla with imbricate, sometimes contorted aestivation. Shrubs or 



trees 4 



Corolla with valvate aestivation 18 



4. Corolla with contorted aestivation. Ovary 2-celled. Seeds with copious 



albumen. Flowers in fascicles or panicles, rarely solitary. [Tribe 



ALBERTEAE.] 5 



Corolla with imbricate, not contorted aestivation. . . . . . . 16 



5. Corolla curved, tubular, hairy within. Calyx 5-partite ; i — 4 of the 



segments much enlarged after flowering. Anthers hairy. Style much 



exserted. Flowers in terminal panicles 6 



Corolla straight. Calyx-segments not enlarged, rarely all enlarged after 

 flowering 7 



6. Calyx with i enlarged segment. Corolla hairy at the base and at the 



throat. Stamens inserted at the throat of the corolla. Anthers 

 bearded at the base. Style-apex 2-cleft. — Species i. Madagascar. 



Nematostylis Hook. fil. 

 Calyx with 2 — 4 enlarged segments. Stamens inserted in the corolla- 

 tube. Style-apex entire. — Species 5. Madagascar and Natal. {Ern- 

 estimeyeta O. Ktze.) Alberta E. Mey. 



