LL GORE 
(1841); Endlicher, Genera plant. p. 895 N. 153 (1840), ej. Enchirid. p. 457 (1841); 
Doll, Rheinisch. Flora p. 603 (1543); Le Maout, Atlas élém. p. 114 (1846); Peter— 
mann, Deutschlands Flora p. 66 &. 12 (1549); Buchenau, in Bot. Zeitg. 1853 p. 
361; Balfour, Class. Book of Bot. p. 761 (1854); Payer, Traité d'Organogénie vé- 
gélale comparée p. 193 t. 39 et 40 (1554. 
Character differentialis. 
Flores irregulares, symmetrici, hermaphroditi v. rarius dioici v. subpolygami, com- 
pleti v. rarissime apetali. Calyx inferus, sepala 2—8, aestivatione aperta. Corolla 
2S-pelala, petala sepalis alterna, aestivatione ab origine aperta, varie partita et 
ad ungues saepissime appendiculato-dilatata, superiora majora. Siamina 3—40, pe- 
talis numerosiora , basi in tubum staminalem cum gynophoro cohærentem connata v. ra- 
rissime libera, ad apicem tubi staminalis fere semper in diseum lateralem axin inflo- 
rescentiæ spectantem dilatata, a petalis æslivatione nunquam tecta. Antheræ versa- 
tiles ellipsoideæ primum 4-loculares, demum 2-loculares, sublateraliter et longitudi- 
naliter birimosæ. Grana pollinis levia, ellipsoidea, longitrorsum trisulcata, eporosa, 
e membrana simplici formata. Ovarium e carpidiis 3—4 connatis astylosis formatum, 
uniloculare, 3—4-dentatum, inter dentes margine inflexum et ibi stigmatosum, pla- 
centæ parietales, marginales, cum dentibus alternæ, multiovulatæ; sub fructu apice 
hians v. rarissime clausum; — vel e carpidiis 5—6 liberis compositum, tum carpidia 
intus longitrorsum aperta, pulvinulo centrali innata et placenta parietali ventrali unio- 
vulata, v. pedicello communi gracili insidentia vacua et placenta depresso-centrali 
pluriovulata. Ovula campylitropa, sessilia, tegumentis duobus et nucleo composita, 
radicula supera v. rarissime infera. Fructus subcapsularis, evalvis, apice apertus, 
siccus, v. rarissime clausus et succulentus. Semina reniformia; epidermis tenuissima, 
hyalina; testa crustacea levis v. scrobiculata; endopleura tenuiter membranaceo-car- 
nosa. Albumen nullum. Embryo dicotyledoneus, arcuatus ; Cotyledones incumbentes 
semicylindricæ, radiculam cylindricam subæquantes.  Plumula nulla. 
Character naturalis. 
Herbæ annuæ v. biennes v. rarius perennes, 2—10-pollicares, 1—5-pedales et 
ultra, plus minusve ramosæ, foliosæ; v. suffruticuli ramosissimi subdumosi, v. rarissime 
frutices elati, stricto-ramosissimi, altitudinem humanam semel v. bis attingentes; in 
regione temperata v. subtropica utriusque hemisphæræ orbis terrarum antiqui, a mon- 
