360 



STERCULIACEvE. 



[Hypogynous Exogens. 



Order CXXVI. STERCULIACEiE.— Sterculiads. 



Sterculiacea-, Vent. Malm. 2. 91. (1799); Endl. MeUtm.p.3a.i€l e n.c e x;Meis^r,Gen.pJ8.- 

 Bombay*. Kunth. Diss. Malv. p. 5. (1822); DC. Prodr. 1. 475. ; A. St. Ihlaire Ft. Br. Mend. 

 1. 275 ; Ed. pr. No. 26. (1830); Wight lllustr. 1. p. 66. 



Diagnosis.— Mahal Exogens with columnar stamens all perfect, and 2-ceUed anthers 



turned outwards. 

 Laro-e trees or shrubs. Hairs, if present, stellate. Leaves alternate, simple or com- 

 pound? sometimes digitate, often toothed, with free deciduous stipules. Inflorescence 

 1 variable. Flowers regular or irregular, frequently $y 



by abortion. Calyx either naked or surrounded with 

 an involucre, consisting of 5 sepals, more or less united 

 at the base, with a valvate or nearly valvate aestivation, 

 except where the calyx is irregularly ruptured. Petals 5, 

 (or none ), hypogynous, convolute in aestivation. Stamens 

 indefinite, monadelphous in various ways ; anthers 

 2-celled, turned outwards, sometimes anfractuose.^ Pis- 

 til consisting of 5, or rarely 3, carpels, either distinct or 

 cohering into a single ovary, often seated upon a column- 

 like axis. Styles equal in number to the carpels, distinct 

 or united ; ovules orthotropal or anatropal, erect if defi- 

 nite ; sometimes indefinite. Fruit capsular, with 3 or .5 

 cells, or even drupaceous or berried, or composed of 

 distinct follicles, opening by the ventral suture long 

 before the ripening of the seeds. Seeds ovate or angu- 

 lar, sometimes winged or woolly ; albumen oily or 

 fleshy, rarely wanting ; embryo straight or curved ; 

 cotyledons either foliaceous, flat, and plaited, or rolled 

 round the plumule, or else very thick, but this only m 

 the seeds without albumen ; radicle next the hilum, or 

 at the opposite end of the seed, or even transverse. 



These have the columnar stamens of Mallowworts, 

 and therein exhibit a near approach to that Order ; but 

 their anthers are 2-celled, and turned outwards. Ster- 

 culiads also he on the borders of Byttneriads, from 

 which they are readily distinguished by their co- 

 lumnar stamens not being partially sterile, and by 

 the anthers being turned outwards. The Sub-Order 

 Bombaceaj is remarkable for having a tough leathery 

 calyx, which sometimes splits irregularly so as to hide 

 the true manner in which the sepals are arranged. 

 The fruit of Sterculia often exhibits beautiful illustra- 

 tions of the real nature of that form of fruit which 

 Botanists call the follicle, and helps to demonstrate that 

 it, and hence all simple carpels, are formed of leaves, 

 the sides of which are inflexed, and the margins dilated 

 into placentte bearing ovules. In Firmiana plataniloha, 

 in particular, the follicles burst and acquire the form of coriaceous leaves, bearing the 



seeds upon then- margin. ,.»„, 



According to Dr. R. Brown, the Sub-Order Stereulese is remarkable for the ditterent 

 positions taken by the radicle within the seed ; although in the majority it is at the extre- 

 mity most remote from the hilum, yet in others it is next the hilum, and m some trans- 

 verse with respect to that part, an unusual circumstance m the same Natural Order.— 

 7V Tctvdii p. *2"24. 



Nearly all the known species are tropical, or at least natives of very warm climates. 

 They are extensively scattered over the world, the Stereulese preferring India and 

 Africa the Bombacere America; Hclictereae seem to be unknown in Africa. I tie 

 Baobab trees are from Senegal, where they are remarkable for their enormous size and 

 prodigious longevity, estimated, but no doubt incorrectly, to amount in certain instances to 

 some thousand years. The various species of Bombax and Ceiba are prodigious Amencq 



Fig. CCL.— Helicteres brevispira. 

 4. a ripe fruit. 



-A. St. Hilaire. 1. a column of stamens ; 2. an anther ; 3. a pistil ; 



