IIG LIT. lytkraiue.t:. 



only as many. Ovary 2-celle(l ; style filiform ; stigma capi- 

 tate. Capsule oblong, enclosed in tlie calyx, 2-celle(l, many- 

 seeded. — Fl. Cap. ii. p. 516. 



Herbs, occasionally half-shrubby, with opposite alternate or whorled, 

 entire leaves. Flowers axillary, purple or purjjlish, often handsome ; petals 

 quickly withering. — 3 species, of which 2 are Eastern and endemic, the thii'd 

 nearly cosmopolitan. 



4. NESJEA, Comm. 



Calyx hemisplierical, bracted or bractless ; ribbed or striate, 

 with 4-6 erect, triangular inner teeth, and as many smaller, 

 narrow, or horn-like, spreading outer teeth. Petals 4-6. Sta- 

 mens 8-12, nearly equal. Ovary sessile, globose, 4-celled. 

 Capsules globose or subglobose, covered by the calyx, many- 

 seeded. — Fl. Cap. ii. p. 517. 



Herbs, with lanceolate or oblong, nearly sessile, obtuse or acute, entire 

 leaves. Peduncles axillary, longish, 3-flowered or capitate, and many- 

 flowered at the summit. — N.Jlorihtinda, Sd., our only species, grows near 

 Natal. Flowers capitate. 



Tribe 2. Heteeoptxideje. (Gren. 5.) 



5. HETEROPYXIS, Harv. 



Flowers polygamous. — Male : Calyx cup-shaped, with 5 

 erect, triangular lobes. Petals 5, ovate, inserted in the throat 

 of the calyx, subsessile, pellucid-dotted. Disk, lining the 

 calyx-tube, thin. Stamens 5, inserted with the petals and 

 opposite to them ! ; filaments subulate ; anthers 2-celled, versa- 

 tile. Abortive ovary 2- rarely 3-celled, many-ovuled ; style 

 short ; stigma obtuse. — Pemale : Calyx 10-nerved, M'ith 5 erect, 

 triangular lobes, and as many minute, alternating denticles. 

 Petals and stamens as in ^ , but the 2-celled anthers abortive. 

 Ovary 2-celled ; ovules many, on axile placentas ; style fili- 

 form, much-exserted ; stigma capitate. Capsules oblong, 2- 

 celled, girt by the persistent calyx. Seeds (unripe only seen). 

 ^Thes. Cap. t. 128. 



An aromatic tree or large shrub, found near Natal, with alternate, short- 

 petioled, lanceolate, pellucid-dotted, penninerved leaves, and dull white 

 fragrant flowers in terminal or axillary panicles. When I published this 

 genus in the ' Thesaurus ' I was only cognizant of the male flowers, in which, 

 however, the ovary, ovules and style, though abortive, were so completely 

 organized that the flower passed as bisexual. Eecently I have received 

 from my zealous and most obliging friend Mr. Gerrard, the true female 

 flower and half-ripe fruit. These aflbrd an additional calycine character, 

 which completely reconciles Heteropyxis to Lythrariece. 



Order LV. ONAGEARIE^. 



Flowers bisexual, rarclv dioecious. Calyx-tube adnate with 



