388 NATURAL HTSTORY OF PLANTF^. 



is hermaphrodite ; f)n the edges of the concave receptacle are borne 

 five unequal quincuncially imbricated sepals, and as many alternating: 

 petals, also imbricated. There are a score of perigynous stamens in- 

 serted towards the edi^'C of the glandular disk lining the receptacular 

 cup, each composed of a free filament and an introrse two-celled anther, 

 dehiscing longitudinally. The gynaceum consists of an ovary of 

 five alternipotalous cells," each surmounted by a style with an irre- 

 gularly dilated and stigmatiferous apex ; and in the ventral angle 

 of each are two collateral descending anatropous ovules, whose 

 micropyles look upwards and outwards." An elongated obturator, 

 formed by a prominence of the placenta, projects above each micro- 

 pyle. The fruit is woody and loculicidal, separating into five thick 

 valves when ripe. The seeds are compressed and winged, containing 

 a fleshy, exalbuminous embryo, with its radicle superior. Z. wcs- 

 piJoidcs is a small Mexican tree, with simple, alternate leaves, and 

 little lateral caducous stipules. The flowers are solitary, terminal, 

 or they more rarely form a few-flowered terminal cyme. On the 

 peduncle of each flower are two bracts. 



With the habit and foliage of Spiran, to whicli it was formerly 



joined, ExochordcC" (fig. 45G) possesses flowers exactly 



Exochorda |-|,^ those of Liudleiia' i.e., a concave receptacle, lined 



grandijlora. '^ ^ ^ ^ 



by a glandular disk, bearing on its edges five quin- 

 cuncial sepals, as many imbricated petals, and fifteen 

 or twenty stamens of the Rosacea ;* also an ovary of 

 five cells, surmounted by an equal numljer of styles 

 dilated and stigmatiferous at their apices, and con- 

 taining in the ventral angle of each cell two descending 

 ovules, whose micropyles look upwards and outwards, 

 and are capped by a cellular obturator. The fruit alone 

 is markedly different. The perianth and receptacle 

 come off* it altogether, leaving it quite bare as a capsule 

 with five thick obtuse wings, gradually tapering towards the base 

 and rounded on the back, all united round the central axis from 

 which they radiate, their intervals forming deep dihedral angles. 



' Tlicao cl'Uh arc UHUiilly iiicomph'te, ho that * Tlicy uro Komctimeii tt'trn- or hoxanierous. 



the plnceiituH roally bcc-onic imriutul. * ThiToaro lu-arlv always tliroc in fVoiil ofciuh 



' Willi two coatH. IH'tal. the uiodian oiio bi«injr smallt-sit. niid in- 



^ LiNDi-., (/rirdrn. C/irun. (lHr>ft),f>2r).- - H. 11., 8erti-«l below the other two. It is tliiwio in (n.nt <>l" 



Oen., (]\2, II. 2\. tlio scpaN whicli tuny soinetinios he quite ahsiiit 



