120 



DESVAUX I ACE^E. 



[Endogens. 



Order XXXI. DESVAUXIACEjE — Bristleworts. 



Uesvauxieae, Nixus Plantarum, p. 23. (1833), a 5 o/Restiacea? : Bartl. Ord. Nat. p. 36 ; Marlius Con- 

 find us, .V.i. 38.— Centrolepideae, Desvaux in Attn, des Sc. 13. 36. 11828) ; Endl. Gen. xliv. ; Meit- 

 ner, Gen. ]>. 40y ; Kunlh. Enum. 3. 487. 



Diagnosis. — Qlwmal Endogens, tvilh several ovaries (sometimes consolidated), a pendulous 

 ovule, l-2-stamcns, 1-celled anthers, and terminal embryo. 



Little tufted herbs, resembling small Scirpi. Leaves setaceous, sheathing at the base. 

 Scapes filiform, undivided, naked. Flowers enclosed in a terminal spathe. Glumes one, 



in front, or two somewhat op- 

 posite each other. Palese 0, or 

 one or two tender scales parallel 

 with the glumes. Stamen 1 , very 

 rarely 2 ; anther simple. Ova- 

 ries from 1 to 18 attached to a 

 common axis, distinct or 

 partially united, 1-celled, with 

 a single stigma to each ; ovules 

 solitary, orthotropal. Fruit as 

 many 1 -seeded utricles, opening 

 longitudinally ; seed pendulous ; 

 embryo lenticular, placed within 

 the extremity most remote from 

 the hilum. 



The main distinction of this 

 Order consists in the ovaries, 

 which are variable in number, 

 and usually distinct from each 

 other round a common axis, in 

 the manner of a Ranunculus. 

 Occasionally they are partially 

 united ; in all cases they change 

 to little one-seeded utricles. 

 The stamen, which is usually 

 solitary, has a second added in 

 the genus Gaimardia, which 

 does not seem to be otherwise 

 different. Aphelia has only one 

 carpel, and this is regarded by 

 Endlicher as a near approach 

 to Sedges ; but it is really 

 very different, for the single 

 ovary of that order is evidently 

 made up of from 2 to 3 carpels 

 enclosing a single ovule ; while 

 in Aphelia, as in all the Order 

 of Bristleworts, the ovary con- 

 sists of but a single carpel. 



All inhabit the South Sea 

 Islands ; and nearlv all New 

 Holland. 

 They are of no known use. 



I. XXX. 



Aphelia, R. Br. 

 Alepyrum, R. B' 



GENERA. 



Centrolepis, Labill 

 Descauxia, R. Rr. 



fJaimardia, Gaudich. 



Numbers. Gen. 4. Sp. 15. (Kuntli.) 



Position. Restiacea?. — Desvaux iace.e. — Eriocaulacese. 



Fig, 1. XXX. — Centrolepis fascicularis 1. A head of flowers; 2. a single flower separated ; 3. an 

 ovary with the shle cut oK—Endlic'if- 



