78 MR HIEBN, ON EBENACE^E. 



DESCRIPTION OF THE GENERA AND SPECIES, EXCLUSIVE OF FOSSILS. 

 I. EOYENA, Linn. Gen. Plant, p. 114. n. 325 (1737). 



Flares scepius hermaphroditi et pentameri. 



Calyx plerumque accrescens, campanulatus vel urceolatus vel raro depresso-kemisphericus. 

 Corolla urceolata vel campanulata ; lobis in prcefloratione sinistrorse contortis. 

 Stamina numero loborum corollce dupla raro plura, in verticillum unicum disposita. 

 Ovarium hirsutum, 4-10-focwfore; ovula in loculis solitaria. 



Frutices rarius arbores africani ; foliis alternis, plerumque coriaceis ; pedunculis axillari- 

 bus, ssepius unifloris. 



Alph. DO. Prodr. vm. p. 210 (1844); J. G. Agardh, Theor. Syst. PI. tab. x. f. 13 (1858); 

 Harv. MSS.; non Houston in Linn. Sp. PI. p. 628 (1753) (=Loeselia). 



Pistachia (sp.) Pluknet. Almag. p. 298. t. 63. f. 4. t. 317. f. 5 (1691, 1696). 

 Vitis Idcea (sp.) Plukn. Almag. p. 391. Phytogr. t. 321. f. 4 (1696). 

 Staphylodendrum, Commelin. Hort. Amstelod. I. p. 187. t. 96 (1697). 

 Staphylodendron, Hermann, Paradisus Batavus, p. 232 cum tab. (1698). 

 Arbutus (sp.) Linn. Hort. Cliff, p. 163 (1737). 

 Buxus (sp.) Linn, in Herb. Gronov. 

 Vaccinium (sp.) Mill. Gard. Diet. edit. vi. (1771). 

 Eoyenia, auct, non Houst. 



Flowers usually hermaphrodite and pentamerous, in one species tetramerous, and in JR. 

 ambigua, 5-7-merous. 



Calyx 5-4-partite 5-fid or 5-toothed at apex, pubescent, usually accrescent in fruit. 

 Corolla usually 5-fid, urceolate or campanulate, with obtuse reflexed lobes. 

 Stamens 10, rarely 12 14, in one species 8 ; inserted in one row at the base of the 

 corolla, usually 2 opposite each of its lobes ; filaments very short, glabrous ; anthers lanceolate- 

 linear, hairy or in R. sessilifolia glabrous, dehiscing longitudinally by lateral slits, rarely in 

 subhermaphrodite flowers barren. 



Ovary pubescent, 4-10-celled ; cells 1-ovuled ; rarely abortive in male flowers. 

 Styles 2-5 or style 2-5-partite or -lobed. 



Fruit coriaceous, globose ovoid or oblong, sometimes 5-sided and splitting by valves. 

 Seeds as in the family; albumen not ruminated. 



Shrubs or small trees or even large trees (see Burchell, Trav. I. 390) mostly limited to 

 South Africa, but two species (R. pollens and R. cistoides) reaching the tropics. 



Leaves alternate, simple, entire, shortly petiolate or subsessile or in one species quite 

 sessile, according to Dr Harvey evergreen. Bracts 1 5. 



Flowers axillary, peduncled, solitary or in R. glabra 1-5 together or in R. parvrftora in 

 3-5-flowered cymes. 



Named after Adrian van Royen, Professor of Botany in the University of Leiden, who 

 died in 1779 at the age of 74. 



English name ; African bladder-nuts. 



Alph. De Candolle describes 10 small glands at the base around the ovary; I do not, 

 however, notice any such in any of the species of the genus. 



