362 Plants and their Ways in South Africa 



The order may be recognized by the opposite entire rarely toothed 

 leaves and stipules. Sometimes the stipules are as large as the leaves, 

 which gives the appearance of a whorl of leaves ; but the presence of 

 axillary buds will tell which are leaves. If the stipules are simple, six 

 leaves appear to stand at a node. They may be fused in pairs on the 

 same plant when four appear. Each stipule may be divided. 



The inflorescence is cymose, it may be reduced to a solitary flower, 

 umbellate or capitate. 



One of the largest orders, 350 genera, of which about 24 are native 

 to South Africa. Trees, shrubs or herbs of world-wide distribution. 

 Most are tropical. 



Honey is usually secreted by a nectary upon the ovary, at the base 

 of the styles (cf. Umbelliferae). 



A. Fruit indehiscent, many -seeded. Shrubs or trees 



FIG. 345. Galium (Cleavers), i, flower ; 2, section of flower ; 3, stamen ; 

 4, fruit ; 5, section of 4 showing embryo. (From Henslow's "South African 

 Flowering Plants ".) 



Burchellia. Corolla funnel-shaped, with a very short 

 limb. Anthers with the corolla. Berry nearly round, 2- 

 celled, crowned by the calyx. 



B. capensis, R. Br. (Buffels doom ; Kafir, Tobankone), the only 

 species, is a tree 12-14 feet high, with axillary corymbs of deep scarlet or 



