510 SYSTEMATIC BOTANY. 



Stamens 3. Sepals and petals penta- 



merous Hippocrateacece. 45. 



Stamens more than 3. 

 Calyx glandular. Petals without ap- 

 pendages Malpighiacew. 46. 



Calyx not glandular. Petals with 



appendages Erythroxylaceoe. 47. 



Calyx valvate. 

 Stamens united by their filaments into 



a column StercuUacece. 29. 



Stamens not united into a column. 

 Stamens opposite to the petals if 

 equal to them in number. An- 

 thers versatile .... Vitaace. 51. 

 Stamens alternate with the petals 

 if equal to them in number. An- 

 thers not versatile . . . TiliaceoB. 31. 



In order to prevent the student being misled, and thus to refer plants to 

 their wrong positions in the Vegetable Kingdom, it should be particularly 

 noticed, that although the general character of the Thalamiflorre is to have 

 dichlamydeous flowers and poh'petalous corollas, yet exceptions do occur oc- 

 casionally to both these characters. Thus, we find apetalous genera and 

 species in RanutK-ulacece, Menispermaeece, Papaveracece, Flacourtiacece, Cai-no- 

 phyUacece, Sierculiacecs, Bi/ttneriacecc, Tiliacece, Malpighiacece, Rutaceoe, Xan- 

 ihoxylacece, and Geianiacece. Again, in the orders Anonacece and Rufacece, 

 we find some monopetalous species and genera. In Tropceolacece and Lim- 

 nantliaceie the stamens are more or less perigynous, instead of hj^pogynous 

 as is commonly the case in the Thalamiflorie. Perigynous stamens are also 

 occasionally found in other Thalamitloral orders. 



Sub-class II. CalyciflorcB. 



1. Perigynse. 



Natural Order 71. Celastrace.?e. — The Spindle-tree Order. 

 — Character. — Shrubs ov small trees. Xmre^ simple, generally 

 alternate, or rarely opposite, with small deciduous stipides. 

 Sepals 4— 5, imbricated. Petals equal in number to the sepals, 

 inserted on a large disk which surrounds the ovary ; in wsti- 

 vation imbricated, sometimes wanting. Stamens as many as 

 the petals and alternate with them, inserted on the disk; 

 antliers innate. Dish large, flat, and expanded. Ovary supe- 

 rior, surrounded by the disk, 2 — 5-celled, each cell 1 or many- 

 seeded ; placentas axile ; ovules ascending, with a short stalk. 

 Fruit superior, 2 — 5-celled, either drupaceous and indehiscent. 

 or capsular with loculicidal dehiscence. Seeds ascending, with 

 {fig. 738), or without an aril; a^6?«;if% fleshy ; embryo straight; 

 radicle short, inferior ; cotyledons fiat. 



jyiagiwsis. — Shrubby plants, with simple leaves, and small de- 

 ciduous stipules. Flowers small, regular, and perfect ; or rarely 

 unisexual by abortion. Sepals and petals 4 — 5, imbricated in 

 aestivation. Stamens equal in number to, and alternate with 

 the petals, and inserted with them on a large flat expanded 

 disk. Ovary superior, placentas axile. Fruit superior, 2 — 5- 

 celled. Seeds ascending, albuminous ; embryo straight, radicle 

 inferior. 



