210 THE HONEYSUCKLE FAMILY. 



covered with a very minute glandular down, or sometimes quite 

 glabrous. 



In woods, or rarely in more open rocky situations, in northern Europe, 

 Asia, and North America, reappearing in the mountains of central 

 Europe, even on the southern side of the Alps. In Britain confined to 

 the fir-woods of some of the midland and eastern counties of Scotland 

 and to a few localities in Yorkshire and Northumberland. Fl. summer. 



XL. STELLATE. THE STELLATE TRIBE. 



(A tribe of Rubiacece.) 



Herbs, with angular stems, and entire leaves in whorls of 

 4, 6, or 8 (that is, apparently so, for 2 opposite ones only 

 of each whorl are real leaves with buds in their axils, the 

 others, although precisely similar, are in fact stipules), rarely 

 2 only, the buds and branches always opposite. Flowers small, 

 in terminal or rarely axillary panicles or heads. Calyx com- 

 bined with the ovary, either entirely so or rarely with a border 

 of 4 or 5 teeth. Corolla monopetalous, with 4 or 5 spreading 

 lobes. Stamens as many, inserted in the tube. Ovary inferior. 

 Style 2-cleft at the top, with a capitate stigma to each branch. 

 Fruit indehiscent, small, dry, or rarely succulent, usually sepa- 

 rating into 2 seed-like carpels with 1 seed in each. Albumen 

 horny, with a small embryo. 



The Stdlatce are widely diffused over the globe, especially in temperate 

 regions ; in the tropics they are more rare, except in mountainous 

 regions. They form a considerable and very natural tribe in the great 

 Natural Order of Rubiacece, otherwise unrepresented in Britain or even 

 in Europe. It is one of the most extensive ones within the tropics, 

 distinguished by opposite leaves, interpetiolar stipules, an adherent 

 calyx, and a monopetalous corolla, and includes trees and shrubs as 

 well as herbs. Many are cultivated in our stoves, greenhouses, or flower- 

 beds, including the genera Coffea, Gardenia, Luculia, Pentas, AfaneUia, 

 Bouvardia, &c. 

 Corolla with a distinct tube, as long as or longer than the lobes. 



Fruit crowned by the 4 teeth of the calyx. Flowers in heads, 

 surrounded by an involucre 4. SHEKARDIA. 



Calyx not distinct. Flowers in panicles 8. ASPKKUI.A. 



Corolla rotate, the tube very short or indistinct. 



Fruit fleshy. Corolla usually 6-lobed 1. RUBIA. 



Fruit dry. Corolla usually 4-lobed 2. GALIUM. 



1. RUBIA. MADDER. 



A genus only distinguished from Galium by the rather large succulent 

 fruit. The European species have also larger leaves, of a firmer, more 

 shining texture, and the flowers have often 6 instead of 4 parts, but 

 these differences scarcely hold good in the South American species. 



The species are not numerous, and might rather be considered at) 

 forming one or two sections of Galium, the South American species (ot 



