Hillebrandia.} BEGONIACEAE. 141 
Of early introduction from Mexico; very common on dry plains, as between Honolulu. 
pl but difi 
Quite a num 
of other Cactaceae, species of Cereus, Echinocactus, Mamillaria, Phitca ctus pate Nouba 
are found in gardens, Cereus triangularis occasionally as an ese: 
OrpER XXXVIII. BEGONIACEAE. 
Flowers monoecious. Segments of perianth 2 to 8, all colored, of which 
2 or 3 are outer and 2 to 5 inner and often smaller, the latter occa- 
sionally wanting, or in Hillebrandia 5 Esa and 5 minute petals. 
Male fl. Stamens many on a convex torus, the filaments free or connate. 
Anthers continuous with the filaments, abide 2-celled, opening outward. 
No rudiment of ovary. em fl. Stamens wanting, or in our genus re- 
placed by aaa staminodia. Ovary inferior, 1-celled, with 3 or 5 parietal 
placentas, but by prolongation of the SRT RCT carpel- ae most 
frequently 3-celled. Ovules numerous, anatropou tyles 5, free, or 
connate at the base, generally bifid. Capsule locnlicidal, sii winged. 
Seeds minute, with an areolate tes Ibumen generally wanting. (oty- 
ledons very short; radicle terete. — Herbs or undershrubs, generally 
oblique, Medco stipules, Peduncles axillary, usually dichotomous. 
About ies, in 3 , all but two —— to the genus Begonia and dis- 
sitet over the tropics of sane Asia and 
1. HILLEBRANDIA, Oliver. 
Male fl. Sepals 5, equal, ovate, acute. Petals 5, gilestaute with the 
sepals, minute, spathulate or cucullate. Stamens many, the filaments 
free, anthers erect, obtuse, the cells on the edges of a dilated connective. 
Fem. fl. Calyx-tu fies obose, adnate to the ovary, 5-lobed, oi lobes like 
the male the male flowers, an them 
Ovary free at the apex, imperfectly 5-celled, with 5 bilamellate placentas 
projecting into the ovary. Styles 5, fleshy, persistent, opposite the calycine 
lobes, 2-forked, with the forks spirally stigmatose. Ovules numerous on 
the reflexed lamellae of the placentas. Capsule membranous, globose, 
Seeds minute, ovoid, areol Albumen none. Embryo oblong, coty- 
ledons short. — A succulent herb with alternate leaves and the habit o 
egonia. 
Only 1 species known, which is also the only representative of the Order in Polynesia. 
1. H. Sandwicensis, 07 liver, 3 in Transact. Linn. Soc. XXV, 361, tab. 46. 
— Rhizome tuberous, the sparsely hairy or glabrate stems or branches 
2—5 ft. high, dichotomous toward their ends. Leaves on long petioles 
