461 



THYMEUEACE^E. 



Benth. et Hook. Gen. PL iii. 186. 



Fruit and Seed,- The ovary is superior, one-celled and one- 

 ovuled, or in the tribes Phalerieae and Aquilarieae two-celled 

 with one ovule in each cell. The ovule is inserted laterally near 

 the apex of the cavity, pendulous and anatropous with a ventral 

 raphe. The fruit is nut-like, baccate, or drupaceous and inde- 

 hiscent, except in the tribe Aquilariese. The seed is solitary, pen- 

 dulous or laterally fixed. The testa is coriaceous or rarely mem- 

 branous, with a distinct membranous inner layer. Endosperm 

 is copious or scanty and fleshy or altogether wanting. The 

 embryo is straight, and large, with fleshy, often thick cotyle- 

 dons, while the radicle is short and superior. Exceptions from 

 the above characters occur in two anomalous genera, Octolepis 

 consisting of a single species with a four-celled ovary contain- 

 ing one ovule in each cell ; and Gonystylus with a four- or five- 

 celled ovary, each cell with one ovule. 



A type of the Order is represented by Daphne Mezereum. 

 The seed is obovoid, pendulous and attached to the placenta by 

 a broad flattened funicle near the apex. The tegmen is very 

 thick, while the endosperm is reduced to a thin layer investing 

 the large fleshy embryo. The cotyledons are plano-convex, 

 and slightly auricled at the base, where the short stout radicle 

 is situated. 



Daphne Mezereum, L. 



Ovary of one carpel, one-celled, one-ovuled; ovule pendulous 

 from near the apex of the cell, anatropous ; micropyle superior. 



Fruit a berry, ovoid or subglobose, glabrous, green but becoming 

 scarlet as it matures, and shining, one-celled, one-seeded ; epicarp 

 and endocarp thin ; mesocarp juicy or pulpy and orange-yellow or 

 scarlet. 



Seed obovoid, suspended by a short funicle from near the apex 

 of the cell, glabrous, closely conforming to the interior of the berry ; 

 testa thin, membranous, pale-coloured, easily detached from the 

 much thicker and subcrustaceous tegmen, deep brown, almost 

 black and shining when fresh, but dull bro\vn when dry ; raphe 



