52 olacace^e. [OlacacecB. 



Order XXV. OLACACE^E. 



Calyx small, truncate or toothed. Petals 4 to 6, hypogynous or slightly 

 perigynous, valvate in the bud, sometimes cohering in pairs or united into a 

 tubular or campanulate corolla. Stamens inserted with the petals, or their 

 filaments united with the tube of the corolla, equal to or twice the number of 

 petals or rarely fewer. Torus small or forming a small disk, adhering to the 

 base of the calyx. Ovary either entirely 1 -celled, or divided at the base into 

 3 or 4 cells, or entirely divided into 3 collateral cells. Ovules 2, 3, or 4, 

 pendulous, one descending into each of the partial cells. Fruit a drupe, either 

 free and superior or enclosed in the enlarged calyx, or more or less adnate 

 and inferior. Seed solitary, usually appearing (by its union with the placenta) 

 erect from the base. Albumen copious. Embryo small, straight, with a 

 small radicle next the hilum. — Trees, shrubs, or rarely woody climbers. 

 Leaves alternate, entire, without stipules. 



A tropical Order widely distributed over the New as well as the Old "World. 



1. SCHCEPFIA, Wall. 



Calyx small, adhering to the base of the ovary, the free border reduced to 

 an entire ring. Petals united into a tubular or campanulate 4- to 6-lobed 

 corolla. Stamens as many as the lobes of the corolla, and alternate with 

 them, the filaments adnate to its tube. Fruit a semi-inferior drupe, adnate to 

 the enlarged calyx. 



A small genus, ranging over tropical Asia and America. 



1. S. chinensis, Gardn. and Champ, in Kew Journ. Bot. i. 308. A 

 small much-branched tree or tall straggling shrub, glabrous in all its parts. 

 Leaves from ovate-oblong to oblong-lanceolate, acuminate, 2^ to 3 in. long, 

 narrowed into a short petiole, rather thick, with a few slender veins diverging 

 from the midrib. Peduncles short, bearing 1 to 3 sessile flowers, placed 

 usually in the axils of young leaves, forming lateral or terminal leafy racemes. 

 Flowers sweet-scented, usually pink, but varying to nearly white (or yellow- 

 ish ?), nodding, 5 or 6 lines long, the tube rather broad, the lobes very short 

 anc^ spreading. Drupe oblong, very obtuse, 5 to 7 lines long. 



Abundant in the Happy Valley woods, Champion aud others, but not as yet found out of 

 the island. 



Order XXVI. AMPELIDE^l. 



Calyx minute. Petals 4 or 5, hypogynous, small, valvate in the bud, dis- 

 tinct or cohering at the base or at the top. Stamens as many as and oppo- 

 site to the petals, hypogynous, free and distinct or monadelphous. Ovary 2- 

 to 6 -celled, with 2 collateral ovules or rarely a single ovule, erect in each cell. 

 Style simple, often very short, or the stigma sessile. Fruit a berry, with 1 or 

 2 bony seeds. Embryo very small, in the base of a copious albumen, the ra- 

 dicle superior. — Stems usually woody, climbing by means of leaf-opposed ten- 

 drils. Leaves alternate or the lower ones opposite, simple or compound. 

 Stipules small, deciduous. Flowers small, greenish, in leaf-opposed cymes or 

 panicles. 



An Order of very few genera, but widely distributed over the tropical regions of the globe, 

 with a few species natives of more temperate climes. 



