330 NATURAL HISTORY OF PLANTS. 



in a spiral on its mouth, imbricated; outer shorter sepaloid, 

 inner larger petaloid accrescent. Stamens co, all abortive, or a lew 

 (4-10) exterior fertile ; filaments short inserted on receptacle within 

 perianth, with 2 lateral stipitate glands at base; anthers 2-celled 

 extrorse dehiscing longitudinally. Carpels co, free inserted in 

 bottom of receptacle, sterile or fertile ; ovary 1 -celled tapering into 

 a linear style, stigmatiferous at apex ; ovule 1, descending; micropyle 

 superior introrse ; raphe ventral : more rarely 2 ; the one minute 

 abortive. Fruits cc, drupaceous free surrounded at base by irregu- 

 larly torn dry remains of receptacle and perianth ; putamcn hard 

 1 -seeded. Seed pendulous; albumen copious iieshy oily; embryo 

 minute inverted oblique ; cotyledons slightly diverging ; radicle 

 superior. — Aromatic shrubs ; leaves alternate exstipulate, with pel- 

 lucid dots; flowers axillary cymose {Cei/Ion). See p. 287. 



4. Peumus Mol. — Flowers dia3cious (of llortonid) ; receptacle 

 subcampanulate ; perianth-leaves co, imbricated ; outer few (4-G) 

 sepaloid ; inner (5-8) petaloid elongated spreading. Stamens oo, in 

 male flower fertile ; filaments free inserted inside concave receptacle, 

 with 2 lateral flattish glands ; anthers 2-celled introrse, dehiscing 

 longitudinally. Carpels in male flower 0, or minute abortive; in female 

 flower few (2-5), fertile inserted at bottom of receptacle, surrounded 

 by CD perigynous staminodes ; ovary 1-ovulate; ovule pendulous; 

 micropyle superior introrse. Drupes 1-5, surrounded by persistent 

 cupuliform internally setigerous base of receptacle ; perianth deci- 

 duous after anthesis, circumcissile ; mesocarp slightly fleshy ; endo- 

 carp thick very hard. Seed of Ilortu/iia ; embryo inverted cotyledons 

 widely diverging. — Small aromatic trees ; leaves opposite warty 

 pilose; flowers in terminal or axillary racemose cymes {Chili). Sec 

 p. 290. 



5. Hedycarya FoiisT. — Flowers dia-cious ; receptacle broad cupu- 

 liform or patelliform ; perianth leaves oo, more or less connate at 

 base, either bract-like iml)ricated, or inconspicuous confounded in a 

 shurt subentire or sinuate cupule. Stamens cr. (in female flower 0) ; 

 filaments very short or almost wanting erect ; anthers 2-celled, 

 dehiscing by introrse or lateral clefts; connective hardly projecting 

 or apiculatc above cells, or dilated and obliciuely or transversely trun- 

 cated at apex : more rari'ly subpctaloid. Carpels in male llowcr 0. 



