RANUNCULACE^E 99 



trinerved, petiolate ; petioles very long, channelled on the upper 

 side, 3-3-5 cm. long. 



Stem with primary internodes undeveloped. 



Leaves simple, palmatifid, radical, alternate, exstipulate, petio- 

 late, glabrous, light green, cordate at the base, trinerved ; lobes 

 acute, usually divided into two to three secondary lobes or trifid. 



DILLENIACE^E. 



Benth. et Hook. Gen. PL i. 10. 



The ovules are one or many, anatropous and ascending. 

 The raphe is ventral as in the Banunculaceae, and probably for 

 the same reason. The seeds are single or few, and generally 

 provided with an aril. The embryo is minute with the radicle 

 inferior, near the hilum. 



The members of this order being chiefly natives of the 

 southern hemisphere, and but few of them popular hot- 

 house plants, are seldom raised from seeds in this country ; 

 consequently but little opportunity is afforded for observations 

 on the cotyledons. Those of Hibbertia dentata are linear- 

 lanceolate, sessile, narrowed to the base, where they are shortly 

 connate and sheathe the young stem, persistent, somewhat 

 coriaceous, 20 mm. long, and 5 mm. broad. The persistent 

 nature and subcoriaceous texture are characteristic of genera 

 and species of arboreal or shrubby habit with evergreen leaves. 

 The Dilleniaceae are either trees or shrubs, sometimes twiners, 

 rarely suffruticose or herbs. 



Hibbertia dentata, B. Br. 



Hypocotyl succulent, 1-2 cm. long, 2 mm. thick, terete, gla- 

 brous, pink near the base, green above. 



Cotyledons sessile and forming a short sheath round the base 

 of the first internode of the stem, 2 cm. long, 5 mm. broad, linear- 

 lanceolate, mucronate, with sunk midrib, glabrous, rather firm and 

 persistent, dark green above, paler below. 



Stem terete, 2 mm. thick at the first internode, which is about 

 1'5 cm. long ; the successive internodes gradually increase in length 

 and thickness, hirsute, reddish, but green under the sheathing 

 petioles and seed-leaves. 



H 2 



