228 NATURAL HISTORY OF PLANTS. 



sessile or pedunculate solitary axillary flowers, below each of which 

 are two lateral bracts with their edges in contact to form a sac, at 

 first completely closed, surroundini,' the young llower-bud. 



E. OxYMiTiiE.E. — The generic name O.n/initra' refers to an inner 

 corolla in which the three pieces approach by their very thick upper 

 parts, so as to form a sort of vault on three pillars above the sexual 



(Jxi/mi/ra {Gonlolhalamus) Gardner!. 



Fio. 281. 



I'lowcr. 



organs (fig. 281). The summit forms an erect, more or less acute 

 cone ; while the bases of the petals represent the pillars, and are more 

 or less taper,- so that between them are three openings through 

 which the stamens and gynajceum are seen. The outer ])etals 

 correspond to these spaces, and are quite different to the inner 

 ones, their edges being in contact with one another only in a very 

 young bud ; later on they spread more or less as blades of very 

 variable size, thickness, and consistency. The calyx is much shorter 

 still, and consists of three sepals, free or united at the l)ase, also valvate 

 in JL'stivation The indclinite stamens are inserted in a spiral on a 



' Hi,., F/«/-../«r., .-/««;('«•., 71, t. ;{.'>, ;u;, 1), 37. iiiul nri' soimnit 111 fnim Olio uiiotlior itt tlio buws 



- Kndl., Hen., n. 1713 1>. — H. H., Geii., 2(5, liy narrow t'liniiralid trianjruliir sjmuvm. XwUuuio- 



1)57, n. 21. - H. IJn., Adatmonia. viii. 'Ml. Ihalamuii, UkNtham A n»><)KKii (lov. cif.)my of 



- In O. jKitetM Hkntii. tlic pi'taU iire nliort, the inner |M.'tuU " Ixui in unyurm hitain angu*. 



I'onwivo, anil w'tMtile; in ht'venil A»'mtieitpi'ciiH they tain." Now this biiaihir el«\v i* usually even 



Ibrni :» Viinlt njore or Icmh nc-iite iit its siininiit. hmmiiT hiill in tlif trnc (Kri/mihax. 



