742 



110MAL1ACE.E. 



[Epigtnous Exogens. 



Order CCLXXX1V. HOMALIACE^.— Homaliads. 



Ilomalinece, Ii. Brown in Congo, (1818) ; DC. Prodi; 2. 53. (1825) ; Endl. Gen. cxcvi. ; Meisner, p. 73. 



Diagnosis. — Cactal Exogens, with distinct sepals and petals, stamens opposite the petals, 



separate styles, and pendulous ovules. 



Trees or shrubs. Leaves alternate, with deciduous stipules, or 0, toothed or entire. 

 Flowers in spikes, racemes, or panicles, without bracts. Calyx funnel-shaped, adherent, 



with from .5 to 15 divisions. Petals alter- 

 nate with the segments of the calyx, and 

 equal to them in number. Glands present 

 in front of the segments of the calyx. 

 Stamens arising from the base of the 

 petals, either singly or in threes or sixes ; 

 anthers 2 -.celled, opening longitudinally. 

 Ovary adherent, 1-celled, with numerous 

 anatropal pendulous ovules attached to 2, 

 3, or 5 parietal placentae ; styles from 3 to 

 5, simple, filiform, or subulate. Fruit 

 berried or capsular. Seeds small, ovate, 

 or angular, with an embryo in the middle 

 of a little fleshy albumen, and a thick 

 superior radicle. 



Although these plants, with shrubby 

 stems, small flowers, and highly-developed 

 leaves, exhibit no other resemblance to 

 Indian Figs than what resides in their 

 inferior ovary, parietal placentae, and 

 scarcely albuminous seeds, yet, if we com- 

 pare them with Loasads, their affinity 

 becomes sufficiently evident ; and as Loa- 

 sads are akin to Indian Figs in the first 

 degree, so Homaliads are akin in the 

 second degree. That Homaliads and 

 Loasads stand nearly on the same line, is 

 shown by comparing such plants as Homa- 

 lium with Acrolasia ; and although it 

 to render the connection between those 

 exists to warrant this sort of comparison. 



Fig. CCCCXCVL 

 cannot be denied that links are 



genera complete, yet enough of resemblance 



In fact, the glands of Homalium are probably an altered form of the abortive stamina 



of Loasa. 



According to Brown, Homaliads are related to Passionflowers, especially to Smeath- 

 mannia, from which their inferior ovary distinguishes them, to say nothing of their 

 want of stipules and glands on the leaves, of the presence of glands at the base of the 

 floral envelopes, and of their erect and very different habit. De Candolle places them 

 between Samyds and Chailletiads, describing them as apetalous, but classing them with 

 his Dichlamyds ; Brown also understands them as without petals ; but I confess I 

 cannot comprehend what petals are, if the inner series of the floral envelopes of these 

 plant^be not so ; an opinion which their supposed affinity with Passionflowers would 

 confirm, if analogy could be admitted as evidence in cases which can be decided without 

 it. The statement of De Candolle, that the stamens are opposite the sepals, is inaccurate; 

 they are, as Brown describes them, opposite the petals. 



The species are al! tropical, and chiefly African or Indian. Four or five are described 

 from the West Indies and South America. 



The root of some American species of Homalium is astringent, and employed against 

 blennorrhoea. 



Fig. CCCCXCVL— Uyrsanthus Brownii.— DektterL 



3 section across the ovary ; 4. section of a seed. 



1. diagram of the flower ; 2. section of a flower , 



