300 XLIIL MALP1GHIACE.E. 



CALYX o-merous, persistent, segments usually biylandular. PETALS 5, usually 

 unguicitlate, isostemonous or diplostemonous, inserted either on the receptacle or on a 

 hypogynous or perigynous disk. STAMENS inserted with the petals, usually monadelphous, 

 when several are antherless. OVARY composed of 3 or 2 carpels, connate, or distinct at 

 the top, of3 or 2 1-ovuled cells. OVULE nearly orthotropous. FRUIT a drupe, or of 

 3-2 cocci. EMBRYO exalbuminous. STEM woody. $ 



TREES or SHRUBS, rarely UNDERSHRUBS, often climbing ; branches usually pubes- 

 cent; hairs fixed by the centre and stinging, or silky, of metallic lustre, close- 

 pressed, and not stinging. LEAVES generally opposite, petiole jointed to the stem, 

 entire, flat (rarely alternate, or whorled, sessile, sinuate-toothed or -lobed, margins 

 recurved) ; petiole or under surface or margin of the leaf often glandular ; stipules 

 usually geminate at the base of the petiole, below (rarely above) the joint, generally 

 rudimentary or suppressed, rarely large, sometimes the 2 belonging to the same leaf 

 coherent in 1 and axillary, sometimes the 4 of 2 opposite leaves joining in pairs so as 

 to form 2 interpetiolar stipules. FLOWERS , or polygamous by suppression, sometimes 

 dimorphous (Aspicarpa,Janusia], axillary or terminal, in a corymb, umbel, raceme or 

 panicle ; peduncle bracteate at its base ; pedicels jointed, 2-bracteolate below the joint. 

 CALYX 5-partite, segments imbricate, or very rarely valvate, all or 4 or 3 biglandular 

 outside. PETALS 5, inserted on the receptacle, or on a hypogynous disk, or on a disk 

 lining the base of the calyx, generally equal, fringed or toothed, claw slender, aesti- 

 vation imbricate. DISK inconspicuous. STAMENS usually 10, hypogynous or sub- 

 perigynous, all fertile, or some anantherous, or one or more or all of those opposite 

 the petals wanting ; filaments filiform or subulate, usually connate at the base; anthers 

 short, introrse, cells sometimes winged, connective often thickened, sometimes pro- 

 longed at the top into a glandular appendage. OVARY free, composed of 3 (rarely 

 2) carpels; coherent, or distinct at the top, of 3-2 1-ovuled cells; styles 3, inserted 

 between the lobes of the ovary, distinct or connate ; stigma simple, inconspicuous ; 

 ovule nearly orthotropous, pendulous by a short funicle to the inner angle of the cell 

 or middle of the septum, ascending, erect or curved, raphe ventral, micropyle superior. 

 Ripe CARPELS 3 or fewer, 1 -seeded, sometimes connate into a fleshy or woody drupe, 

 sometimes distinct, and separating into usually winged samaras, rarely 2-valved. 

 SEEDS obliquely pendulous below the top of the cell, exalbuminous ; testa double, 

 usually membranous. EMBRYO straight, curved, or hooked, very rarely annular ; coty- 

 ledons flat or thick, gften unequal ; radicle short, above the hilum, superior. 



PRINCIPAL GENERA. 

 *AIalpighia. 'Stigmaphyllon. 'Banisteria. Iliptage. Hirsea. Aspicarpa. 



[The following is the disposition of the tribes, &c., of this large family, pro- 

 posed by the authors of the ' Genera Plantarum' : 



TRIBE I. MALPIGUIEJ:. Stamens 10, usually all perfect ; anthers mostly appendiculate ; 

 styles usually 3, free. Carpels on a flat torus, never winged, free or connate into a fleshy or 

 woody drupe. Usually erect, with opposite leaves and connate stipules. Byrsonima, Mai- 

 :!, Tliri/nU!.i, Galpliinid, Spacltea, &c. 



