DICOTYLEDONES— COROLLIFLOR.E 397 



Seeds exalbuminous. Illustrative Genera : — iEschynanthus, 

 Jach. ; Cyrtandra, Forst. 



Distribution and Numbers. — Chiefly natives of warm or 

 tropical regions. The Gesnerese are all American ; the Cyrt- 

 andrcEe are more scattered. There are about 300 species. 



Properties and Uses. — Of little importance. 



Order 204. Bigxoniace^, the Bignonia Order. — C haracter. 

 Trees or shrubs, which are often twining or climbing, or rarely 

 herbs. Leaves exstipulate, usually opposite. Inflorescence ter- 

 minal. Flowers irregular. Calyx entire or divided. Corolla 

 4 — 5-lobed. Stamens 2 or 4 ; anthers 2-celled. Ovary seated 

 on a disc, usually 2-celled ; placentas axile ; style 1. Fruit 2- 

 valved, capsular. Seeds numerous, sessile, large, winged, ex- 

 albuminous ; embryo with large leafy cotyledons. 



Distribution and Numbers. — Chiefly tropical plants. Illus- 

 trative Genera: — Bignonia, Linn. ; Tecoma, Juss. ; Jacaranda, 

 Juss. There are about 450 species. 



Properties and Uses. — Unimportant. 



Order 205. Crescentiace.e, the Crescentia Order. — Charac- 

 ter. — Small trees. Leaves simple, alternate or clustered, ex- 

 stipulate. Flowers irregular. Calyx free, entire at first, 

 afterwards splitting irregularly. Corolla somewhat bilabiate. 

 Stamens 4, didynamous, with a rudimentary fifth; anthers 

 2-celled. Ovary surrounded by an annular disc, 1 -celled ; ^jZrt- 

 centas 2 — 4, parietal ; style 1. Fruit indehiscent, woody. Seeds 

 large, niunerous, wingless, exalbuminous ; cotyledons large, 

 amygdaloid ; radicle short. This order is made a tribe of 

 BicjnoniacecE by Bentham and HooJier. 



Distribution and Numbers. — Natives exclusively of tropical 

 regions. Illustrative Genera : — Crescentia, Linn. ; Parmentiera. 

 DC. There are about 36 species. 



Properties and Uses. — Unimportant. 



Order 206. Pedaliaceji:, the Pedalimn order. — Charac- 

 ter. — Glandular herbs. Leaves entire, exstipulate. Flowers 

 axillary, usually large and irregular. Calyx 5-partite. Corolla 

 bilabiate. Stamens didynamous with the rudiment of a fifth, 

 included; anthers 2-celled. Ovary on a fleshy or glandular 

 disc, 1-celled, with two parietal placentas ; sometimes spuriously 

 4 — 6-celled ; style 1 ; stigma divided. Fruit bony or capsular. 

 Seeds wingless, without albumen ; embryo with large cotyledons 

 and a short radicle. 



Distribution and Numbers. — Chiefly tropical plants. Illus- 



