R.HJZOGENS. 1 



i; \l I I.KSIACK.I.. 





Order XX VII I. RAFFLESIACEjE.— Rafflesiads. 



Kafflesiaceee, Endlicher MelctemaUi, p. 



14. (1832); Gen. xli. 

 Traits, l.i. 241. 



MHtitt i , ] i, a 7 ; R. Brown in Linn. 



Diagnosis. — Stemless and stalkless ; flowers 5-parted, sessile on the branches o/ti 

 solitary, with anthers opening bypo r is, and innumerable ovules growing ietal 



placenta. 



Stemless plants, consisting merely of flowers growing immediately from the surface 



of branches, and immersed among scales ; flowers hermaphrodite, or dioecious. Perianth 



superior, globose or campanulate ; the limb 

 5-parted, with the segments imbricated or 

 doubled inwards in aestivation : the throat 

 surrounded by calli, which are either distinct 

 or run together into an entire ring. Column 

 (synema) hypocrateriform or sub-glob ise, ad- 

 hering to the tube of the perianth ; anthers 

 numerous, distinct, or somewhat connate, ad- 

 hering by the base, in one row ; 2-celled, with 

 die cells opposite, and each opening by a ver- 

 tical aperture, or concentrically many-celled 

 with a common pore. Ovary inferior, 1-celled, 

 with many-seeded parietal placentae; styles 

 conical, equal in number to the placen- 

 tae, run together within the column, but pro- 

 3 jecting beyond it, and then distinct. Fruit, 

 an indeliiscent pericarp, with an infinite mul- 

 titude of seeds. [Embryo undivided, with or 

 without albumen. — R. Brown.'] 



These extraordinary plants have no stems 

 whatever, but consist of flowers only, suppi trted 

 by scales in room of leaves. Anion- them is the very remarkable species described by 

 Brown in the 13th vol. of the Linm S tys Tran , under the name of Raffle- 



da, to which those may be referred who are desirous either of knowing what is the 

 structure of one of the most anomalous of vegetables, or of finding a model of botanical 

 investigation and sagacity,or of consulting one of the most beautiful specimens of botanical 

 analysis which Francis Bauer ever made. They differ from the Cistusrapes in having 

 no proper stem, in their anthers being porous, and in their flower, which constitutes 

 the whole plant, being divided by .5, like Exogens, instead of 2 or 3, like Endogens. An 

 affinity has been suggested withBirthworts,to which this Order seems to have no imme- 

 diate relationship. 



Natives of the East Indies, on the stems of Cissi;or of South America, on the branches 

 of leguminous plants. .. 



Riifflesia Patmais employed in Java as a powerful styptic, in relaxation or debility ol 

 the urino-genital apparatus* and Brugmansia seems to possess similar qualities. 



LXVill. 



* HAPKLBSEjB, R. 



Kafflesia, R. Ilr. 

 Sapria, Griffith. 



Br. 



GENERA. 

 Brugmansia, Blume. I**Apodanthkje, R. 

 Zippelia, Rchb Apodaiithes, I 



Mycetanthe, Rcbb. 



Br. 



Pilostyles, Guillem. 

 Bert. 



Numbers. Gen. 5. Sp. 16. 



Aristol <e ? 



Position.— Balanophoraceie— Rafflesiace^.— Cytin i 



Fig.LXYUI.— PaostylesBerterii $ • l. A vertical section of a flower; 2. ayoung flower bursting 

 through i":ie barb : ;i. a head of stamens- 



