2G4 c. sELA(;iNE.t (rolfe). [Jlehenstreitia. 



Okdkr C. SELAGINEiE (by \l. A. Kolfe). 



Flowers hermaphrodite, irregular. Calyx inferior, o-ficl, 5-partite, 

 or through the segments being variously connate or deficient, 3- or 

 2-partite or spathaceous. Corolla gamopetalous ; base shortly or 

 slenderly tubular ; throat usually broader ; limb spreading, normally 

 r)-fid, sometimes 4-fid through the two posticous lobes being united or 

 the anticous absent ; sometimes more or less bilabiate ; lobes equal or 

 tlie posticous pair shorter. Stamens 4, didynamous, or reduced to 2, 

 inserted on the corolla-tube, exserted or included, alternating with the 

 corolla-lobes ; filaments filiform or very slightly thickened at the base ; 

 anthers 1 -celled, obliquely basifixed or versatile, dehiscing longitudinally. 

 Disc hypogynous, annular, unilateral and glandlike, or inconspicuous. 

 Ovary superior, 2-celled or rarely by abortion obliquely 1 -celled; style 

 terminal, filiform, simple, acute, obtuse or minutely bifid, stigmatiferous 

 at the apex but not or slightly thickened. Ovules solitary, pendulous, 

 anatropous. Fruit small, included within the calyx, indehiscent, 

 2-celled, or by abortion 1-celled, or separating into 2 1-seeded nutlets; 

 pericarp slightly fleshy, crustaceous or somewhat woody, rarely mem- 

 bianous, sometimes corky and with a pair of spurious lateral cells in 

 either carpel. Seeds pendulous, usually oblong and terete ; testa mem- 

 branous ; albumen fleshy ; embryo terete, straight ; radicle superior ; 

 cotyledons narrow. — Small heathlike shrubs or undershrubs, tufted 

 perennial herbs, or rarely small annuals. Leaves alternate, fascicled, 

 or rarely the lower ones opposite, cauline or rarely radical, entire or 

 toothed, often narrow and rigid or coriaceous, Flowers small, solitary 

 in the axils of the bracts or rarely shortly pedicelled with the bract, 

 arranged in terminal elongated spikes, corymbose panicles, or sometimes 

 lateral towards the ends of the branches. Corolla lilac-purple, white or 

 rarely yellow. 



A small Order of 9 genera and about 200 species, mostly concentrated in South 

 Africa, with a few representatives in Tropical Africa, one in Madagascar; with an outlying 

 genus widely dispersed through the north temperate zone, another in the Mediten-anean 

 region, and a single monotype in Socotra. A species of Dischisma was collected by 

 Drummond ut the Swan River, W. Australia, where it is reported to be abundant, 

 though believed to be only an accidental introduction. 



Calyx spathaceous. Corolla-limb expanded behind, 



4-lobed 1. Hebenstreitia. 



Calyx campanulate, 2-5-lobed. Corolla-limb more or 



less equally 5-lobed 2. Selago. 



1. HEBENSTBEITIA, Linn. ; Benth. et Hook. f. Cen. PI. ii. 1127. 



Calyx membranous or hyaline, spathaceous, entire or emarginate. 

 Corolla-tube slender, divided in front down to the middle, dilated above 

 into a 4-lobed flat or concave limb ; lobes subequal or the inner pair 

 longer oi sometimes partly united, rarely with a fifth minute lobe in 

 the fissure. Stamens 4, didynamous, affixed to the margins of the 



