BILLENIAGEJE. 



99 



of wliicli but few species are known, natives of Ceylon,' consists of 

 climbinr^ shrubs, whose curved branches bear alternate leaves, the 

 petioles of which are channelled and dilated at the base to ensheath 

 the branch to a variable extent. The secondary nerves of the blade 

 are parallel and very near one another.- The spikes of flowers are 

 grouped into terminal or axillary ramified bunches, each flower is 

 accompanied by two unequal lateral bracts.^ 



The genus Tefracera^ has the perianth oiliihhertia or Schumacheria — 

 i.e, usually Ave imbricated sepals,* and as many imbricated petals." The 

 indefinite stamens, arranged all round the receptacle as in CycJandra, 

 have a peculiarity, which, of no great importance in itself,' is yet useful 

 in practical determinations. The filament, corrugated in the bud, is 

 gradually dilated towards the tip, and bears an anther whose cells 



Tetracera obovata. 

 Figs. 143, 144. 

 Stamens. 



Tetracera {Delima) sarmentoxa. 

 Fig. 145. 

 Flower. 



are small and more or less separated, and parallel or diverging below. 



' Thwaites, Enum. PI. Zet/L, 4. 



- All these parts are rich in a blackish colour- 

 ins: matter. 



^ These flowers are (as we have stated) uni- 

 lateral, like those of many species of certain 

 sections of Hibhertia ; it is very difficult to find 

 characters of any value by which to distinguish 

 clearly Schumacheria from those. 



* L., Gen., n. 683.— Juss., Gen., 339.— DC, 

 Prodr., i. fiT.— Spach, Suit, a Stiff., vii. 414. — 

 Endl., Gen., n. 4765, 4766.— B. H. Gen., 12, 

 n. 6.— H. Bn., Adansonia, vi. 259-280 (inch 

 Delima L., Trachytella LoUB., Assa HOUTT., 

 Doliocarpus RoL., Ricaurtea Tria>'., Soramia 



AuBL., Tigarea AuBX., Rhinium Schreb., 

 Calinea AUBl., JEuryandra FoEST., Wlial- 

 bomia Thg., RJialingia Dennst., Delitnopsis 



MlQ.). 



* The imbrication varies, but is often quin- 

 cuncial. We often observe six, or more fre- 

 quently four, sepals, of which the outermost is 

 broader and thicker than the rest. 



® One or two petals may be wanting, as is 

 very frequently the case in Delima. 



^ We shall see that too absolute a value has 

 been assigned it, and that in the groups Rib- 

 bertiecB and Dillenieiv are plants whose anthers 

 have similar dilated connectives. 



H 2 



