716 MYRTALES. [Epigynous Exogens. 



Alliance LI. MYRTALES. — The Myrtal Alliance. 



Diagnosis. — Epigynous Exogens, with polypetalous dichlamydeous flowers, axile placentce, 



and embryo with little or no albumen. 



It may at first sight appear paradoxical to bring into close contact Orders usually so 

 widely separated as Composites, Fringe-myrtles and Myrobalans ; and it must be con- 

 fessed that if the monopetalous corolla did deserve the value usually assigned to it, the 

 measure would be incapable of justification. But if, as it is one of the objects of this book to 

 show, we should neglect that circumstance, the relationship of all the plants now mentioned 

 will be less problematical. It is the capitate inflorescence of Composites that gives them 

 one of their most striking peculiarities ; but that disappears in Valerianworts, about 

 whose near relation to Composites no one entertains a doubt ; and among the Myroba- 

 lans and Fringe-myrtles the tendency to a capitate condition is unusually great ; as, 

 for example, in Combretum and Conocarpus in the one, and in four-fifths of the species 

 in the other. The relation of Myrobalans to Fringe-myrtles is not likely to be disputed ; 

 now the inflorescence of many genera differs in no respect from that of Composites, and 

 on the other hand, numerous Composites agree entirely with Fringe-myrtles in their 

 glandular leaves. Moreover, the calyx of the latter has often as great a claim to the 

 designation of pappus as that of any Composites whatever. It must be confessed, how- 

 ever, that we have not at present among Composites any such tendency to a separation 

 of the petals as would lead to the expectation of finding a polypetalous genus, which 

 would render the assumed connection between Fringe-myrtles and Composites more 

 evident. 



But the example of Phyteuma among Bellworts leads to the anticipation of such a 

 possibility; or if not, the tendency to unite the petals or stamens, which is so common 

 in Myrtleblooms, may be expected to result in a monopetalous corolla among the 

 Fringe-myrtles. 



These remarks are not, however, introduced to show that Composites and Myrtles 

 ought to stand in the same Alliance. That would certainly be an unnatural association. 

 But they seem to show conclusively that they belong to Alliances standing extremely 

 near each other. 



Natural Orders of Myrtals. 



Ovary l-celled. Ovules jiendidous. Leaves dotless. Seeds l r , r 

 without albumen. Cotyledons convolute j--s/4. oombretace.e. 



Ovary \-celled. Ovules pendulous. Leaves dotless. Seeds\ -,. A 

 albuminous. Cotyledons flat J lti> - ALANGIACE ^- 



Ovary l-celled. Ovules ascending. Leaves dotted. Embryo "I -<? /- 

 fJed into a solid mass . ^|2/6. Chamaslauciace*. 



Ovary with more than one cell. Flowers polypetalous or apeta- "1 



hits. Calyx open, minute. Stamens definite. Ovules pen- U 277. HaloragacejE. 



dulous. Cotyledons minute. {Occasionally one-celled). . . J 

 Ovary with more than one cell. Flowers polypetalous or apeta- "1 



lous. Calyx valvate. Stamens definite. Ovules horizontal \- 278. Onagrace^e. 



or ascending. Cotyledons flat, much larger than the radicle J 

 Ovary with more than one cell. Flowers polypetalous. Calyx "| 



valvate. Stamens indefinite. Cotyledons flat, much shorter 1 279. RmzoPHORACEiE. 



than the radicle, vjhich germinates before the fruit falls . . J 

 Ovary with more than one cell. Flowers monopetalous coro- "1 



netted. Calyx valvate. Stamens indefinite, monadelphous. ^280. Belvisiace^e. 



Cotyledons amygdaloid J 



Ovary with more than one cell. Flowers polypetalous Calyx~\ 

 imbricated. Stamens definite. Anthers rostrate. Leaves V281. MELASTOMACEiE. 

 usually dotless J 



Ovary with more than one cell. Flowers polypetalous or apeta- 1 



lous (or valvate). Calyx imbricated. Stamens 00. Anthers >282. Myrtace^e. 



oblong. Leaves usually dotted J 



Ovary with more than one cell. Flowers polypetalous. Calyx ] 



valvate or imbricated. Stamens 00, in part collected into a ^283. LecythidacE;E. 



fleshy hood. Anthers oblong . Leaves dotless J 



