LXXXIT. FRANCOACE^J. 



401 



pous, raphe dorsal. ACHENES [follicles] membranous, surrounded by the accrescent 

 calyx and stamens, detaching circularly near their persistent base, which is com? 

 posed of a simple membrane ; the upper portion composed of a double membrane, 

 thickly hairy externally, terminated by the style, and opening longitudinally. SEED 

 with a membranous loose testa, a lateral slender raphe, and an apical chalaza. 

 EMBRYO straight, very short, occupying the base of a fleshy oily albumen ; cotyledons 

 plano-convex ; radicle cylindric, inferior. 



ONLY GENUS. 

 * Cephalotus. 



The only species (C. follicularis) inhabits South-west Australia. It approaches both Saxifrages and 

 Crassitlacece ; as in the latter, the stamens are perigynous and double 

 the number of the petals (if an isornerous corolla be supposed to exist 

 within the calyx) ; the carpels are distinct, and the embryo is albu- 

 minous. It differs in the aestivation of its calyx, the nature and 

 abundance of its albumen, its solitary and erect ovule, the dehiscence 

 of its fruit, and its dimorphous and radical leaves. Its connection 

 with Saxifrayea is somewhat similar, besides which some genera of 

 Saxifragece, like it, are apetalous (Chrysospleniurn). La Billardiere, 

 who discovered the plant in the swamps of Australia, annexed it to 

 Rosacece, with which it has an undeniable affinity ; thus, in Cephalotus, as 

 in Dryas, Geum, &c., the stamens are perigynous, the carpels are free, 

 have one erect ovule, and become achenes [rather follicles, for the dehi- 

 scence in Cephalotus is complete. ED.]? but Rosacece are exalbu- 

 minous, stipulate, polyandrous, polycarpellary, and, except in Spircsa, 

 the carpels are iudehiscent. Finally, Cephalotus has been compared 

 with Ranunculacece, in which the carpels are free, the ovule solitary 

 and erect, the albumen abundant, and the embryo small and basilar ; 

 but the polysepalism, hypogynism, polyandry, many indehiscent carpels, 

 and horny albumen, greatly limit the analogy between RanunculacKC 

 and Cephalotus. 



LXXXII. FRANCOACEJZ, Endliclier. 



Perennial HERBS. LEAVES subradical, lyrate-pinnatifid 

 or palminerved, sinuous-toothed. FLOWERS bracteate, in 



Francoa appe/,dicu7ata. 



Francoa. Half of the flower (mag.). 

 D D 



francoa. Diagram. 



