3U NATURAL HISTORY OF PLAXT:^. 



12. Atherosperma Labill. — Flowers mona?cious or dioecious; 

 receptacle sacciform or laj:^eniform, more or less concave, perianth- 

 leaves 00 (5-15), 2- or pluri-seriate, imbricate; innermost petaloid. 

 Stamens oo free inserted on throat of receptacle, sterile linear in 

 female flowers, fertile in male and hermaphrodite flowers, filaments 

 with 2 lateral scales at base ; anthers basifixed adnate 2-celled 

 extrorse, dehiscinf]^ by 2 uplifted valves ; connective truncate at apex. 

 Carpels co, in male flowers sterile, ovary free, 1 -celled, at apex pro- 

 longed into a linear style ; ovule 1 , sub-basilar anatropous, micropyle 

 inferior extrorse. Achenes oo, surmounted by persistent plumose 

 styles, included in indurated broadened l:i<j^eniform receptacle, marked 

 by the scattered scars of fallen bracts either below the apex or from 

 base to apex ; perigonium finally dilated at apex or unequally 2-4- 

 cleft from apex to base, pericarp thin more or less adherent to seed. 

 Albumen copious oily ; embryo minute straight ; radicle inferior. — 

 Aromatic trees ; leaves opposite; flowers axillary solitary or cymose; 

 bracts 2 opposite inserted below receptacle, first embracing flower, 

 finally deciduous {Chili, Australia, New Zealand, Neio Caledonia ?) See 

 p. 310. 



V. GOMORTEGE^. 



1;3. Gomortega R. & Pav. — Flowers hermaphrodite; receptacle 

 sacciform, naked externally ; perianth-leaves 8-10, unequal imbricate 

 deciduous. Stamens 8-10, inserted on throat of receptacle; all or 

 part fertile ; filaments free unequal, with 2 lateral stipitate glands at 

 base; anthers basifixed 2-celled introrse, dehiscing by uplifted valves ; 

 connective more or less produced above the cells. Carpels 2, 3; 

 disc thick, adnate to throat of receptacle above the ovaries ; 

 styles free erect, apex acute stigmatiferous. Ovules solitary de- 

 scending in each ovary ; micropyle introrse superior ; raphe dorsal. 

 Fruit drupaceous, of 2, 3 carpels adnate to the receptacle ; mesocarj) 

 fleshy thin; putamen bony, very hard and thick, 2-, 3-ceUed ; 1, 2 

 cells eff'ete. Seed pendulous ; integuments membranaceous ; albumen 

 co])ious fleshy oily; embryo nearly apical, radicle suj)erior; coty- 

 ledons membranaceous inferior. — An aromatic tree ; leaves opposite 

 exstipulate ; ilowers racemose axillary or terminal {Chili). See 

 p. 315. 



