136 COMBRETACE.E. (COMBRETUM FAMILY.) 



ORDER 54 COMBRETACE^E. (COMBRETUM FAMILY., 



Tropical trees or shrubs, with entire exstipulate leaves, and axillary 

 spiked or capitate flowers. Calyx-tube coherent with the 1-celled, 2 - 5- 

 ovuled ovary ; the limb 4 - 5-cleft, mostly deciduous. Petals 4-5, often 

 wanting. Stamens 4-15, inserted with the petals on the calyx. Style 

 slender : stigma simple. Fruit drupaceous or baccate, or dry and indehis- 

 cent, often winged. Seed solitary, suspended, anatropous, without albu- 

 men. Cotyledons convolute or variously folded. 



1. LAGUNCULARIA, Gsert. 



Flowers in spikes. Calyx-tube obconical, the limb 5-parted, obtuse, persist- 

 ent. Petals 5, minute. Stamens 10. Style subulate ; stigma capitate. Ovary 

 1-celled, 2-ovuled. Drupe coriaceous, cuneate-obovate, compressed, angled, 

 1-seeded. Seeds germinating in the drupe. Cotyledons convolute. Radicle 

 elongated. Maritime shrubs, with opposite elliptical smooth and fleshy leaves, 

 on biglandular petioles, and small flowers, in simple or compound axillary and 

 terminal spikes. 



1. L. racemosa, Gaert. Spikes erect, rigid, hoary-tomentose, the lateral 

 ones solitary, the terminal ones in threes, simple or branched ; flowers scattered ; 

 calyx -tube obconical, furrowed, wing-angled in fruit. South Florida. June 

 to Aug. A shrub or small tree, with the habit of the Mangrove. 



2. L. glabriflora, Presl. Spikes spreading, slender, smooth, the lateral 

 ones in pairs, the terminal ones in threes or fours ; flowers minute, crowded, 

 deciduous ; calyx-tube cup-shaped, terete, even, with two opposite bractlets ap- 

 pressed to sides. Banks of the Manitee River, South Florida, Rugel. June. 

 Perhaps a sterile form of the preceding. 



2. CONOCARPUS, Gxrt. 



Flowers densely crowded in a globular head. Calyx-tube about as long as 

 the compressed 2-ovuled ovary; the limb 5-cleft, deciduous. Petals none. Sta- 

 mens 5 - 10, exserted. Anthers cordate. Fruit coriaceous, scale-like, closely 

 imbricated and indehiscent. Cotyledons convolute. Trees or shrubs, with 

 alternate entire and somewhat fleshy leaves. Heads of flowers spiked or panicled. 



1. C. erecta, Jacq. Branchlets angular, smooth; leaves smooth, oblong 

 or lanceolate, acute or acuminate, narrowed into a biglandular petiole ; heads of 

 flowers sessile, or on short and spreading pedicels ; cone of fruit ovoid. Var. 

 SERICEA, DC. Branches, leaves, and panicles silky and hoary ; lowest leaves 

 mostly obovate and obtuse or emarginate ; ovary abortive. Sandy sea-shore, 

 Tampa Bay, Florida, and southward. January and February. A shrub or 

 small tree. Leaves 2' - 4' long. Heads of fruit 3" - 6" long. Flowers greenish, 

 minute. 



