58 MB HIERN, ON EBENACR^. 



vel partim corolld partim toro inserta. Antherse basi affixes, liberce, biloculares, scepius 

 lineari-lanceolatce et longitudinaliter dehiscentes ; connective apice seeping producto. Pollen 

 sphcericum vel ellipsoideum, Iceve. Ovarium scepius abortivum vel nullum. 



Flos femineus : staminodia oo , scepius effceta, quam in mare scepius pauciora. Ova- 

 rium liberum, integrum, 2 16- loculare; loculis 1-, rarius 2- ovulatis. Ovula ex apice anguli 

 interioris pendula, anatropa, numero duplici stylorum vel styli loborum. Stigmata parva vel 

 paulim dilatata, emarginata. 



Fructus baccatus, abortu scepe pauci-locularis et tune mono- vel oligo-spermus, carnosus 

 vel coriaceus. 



Semina pendula, albuminosa, nervis depressis a basi ad apicem 2 vel 3 percursa; testd 

 Icevi, coriaced. 



Albumen copiosum, cartilagineum, cequabile vel interdum ruminatum. 

 Embryo dicotyledonous, axilis vel paulo obliquus, semine dimidio vel dodrante cirdter 

 brevior, rectus vel leviter curvatus; radiculd superd, cylindricd ; cotyledonibus foliaceis, ovatis 

 vel lanceolatis, radiculam subcequantibus vel excedentibus. 



Arbores vel frutices, ligno scepe denso gravi duro et interdum in centra nigro, succo non 

 lacteo, foliis alternis vel rarius suboppositis vel rarissime in tribus subverticillatis, simplidbus, 

 integerrimis, exstipulaceis, scepius coriaceis. Flores axillares vel laterales, cymosce vel solitarii, 

 albi carnei flavescentes vel virides nunquam ccerulei. 



Trees or shrubs, never herbs, varying in height from a few inches to 100 feet or 

 more. Bark various, sometimes quite smooth as in several species of Eoyena and Euclea, 

 in other cases as in Diospyros virginiana deeply scored both longitudinally and transversely. 

 Wood hard, heavy and durable ; in several species, namely in those which supply ebony, 

 very dark or black in the centre and paler towards the circumference. Sap limpid, not 

 milky. Leaves in most cases alternate, often distichous or with an angular divergence 

 of |ths, rarely opposite or sub-opposite as in some species of Euclea and Diospyros, very 

 rarely verticillate in whorls of 3 as in a few species of Euclea; simple, quite entire, 

 rarely somewhat sinuous and in Euclea ovata minutely crenulate ; usually coriaceous and 

 opaque, less commonly membranous or pellucid-punctate ; in the majority of species elliptic 

 or oblong and often acuminate at apex ; midrib usually depressed on the upper surface, 

 secondary veins pinnately arranged usually remote arching within the margin and anastomosing ; 

 tertiary veins obscure or manifest, often transverse to the midrib, or in various directions; 

 petioles usually short, rarely long or obsolete. Leaves evergreen or deciduous, in most 

 cases pubescent at least when young, often shining on the upper surface. The general 

 appearance of the foliage places the family in that type of vegetation which Grisebach 

 names after the Bay-laurel. Inflorescence cymose, usually in the axils of the younger 

 leaves, sometimes with solitary flowers as in some species of the genus Diospyros in most 

 species of the genus Royena and in the female plants of many, other species of the 

 family; or occasionally lateral on the older branches as in Maba cauliflora, Diospyros 

 cauliflora, Diospyros ramiflora and Diospyros Diepenhorstii ; in most species more or less 

 pubescent or tomentose and often ferruginous. Bracts usually present, and in many cases 

 bracteoles also ; both of these organs are in most cases glabrous inside ; sometimes the 

 peduncle arises from a nest of imbricated bracts. Pedicels articulated at the apex to the 



