434 MANUAL OF NATURAL HISTORY. 



trees ; evergreen ; leaves opposite or alter- 

 nate, exstipulate, hard, dry; perianth 4-leaved 

 or 4-cleft ; aestivation valvate ; stamens four ; 

 ovary 1 -celled ; style simple ; stigma un- 

 divided, discoid ; ovules erect j fruit dehiscent 

 or indehiscent. Natives of Australia and the 

 Cape of Good Hope. 



4. FAMILY. Mezereons (Daphnacese). Shrubs, 

 rarely herbs ; leaves opposite or alternate, 

 exstipulate ; flowers capitate or spiked, ter- 

 minal or axillary ; perianth tubular, 4-, seldom 

 5-cleft ; aestivation imbricate ; stamens de- 

 finite ; anthers dehiscing lengthways ; ovary 

 ] -celled ; ovule suspended ; style one ; stigma 

 undivided ; fruit nut-like or drupaceous. 

 Natives of India, North and South America, 

 Australia, the Cape of Good Hope, and 

 Europe. The principal species is " Me- 

 zereon." (Thymelacece, Lindley.) 



X. ORDER FICOIDALS (Ficoidales). 



Flowers monodichlamydeous ; corolla, if present, 

 polypetalous ; placentae central or axile ; embryo 

 external, curved ; albumen mealy, scanty. 

 1. FAMILY Scleranths (Scleranthacese). Herbs ; 

 small, inconspicuous ; leaves opposite, ex- 

 stipulate ; flowers minute, axillary, sessile ; 

 perianth tubular, 4-5-toothed; stamens 1-10; 

 ovary 1 -seeded ; styles two or one ; fruit a 

 membranous utricle enclosed within the 



