408 



LXXXVI. HAMAMELIDE^. 



North America. The other genera are monotypic. Aldrovanda floats on stagnant waters in the South of 

 France and North Italy [and Bengal], DrosophyUtim in the Spanish peninsula [and Morocco], Diontea 

 in the savannahs of South Carolina, Roridula in South Africa, Byblis in Australia. 



The properties of Droseracece are imperfectly known. The indigenous Drosera; are acidulous- acrid, 

 bitter, vesicant, and very hurtful to sheep. They have been found useful in dropsy and intermittent 

 fevers. Their name of Sundew is derived from the tiny drops secreted by the glandular hairs of the 

 leaves. [The glandular hairs on the leaves of various species are irritable, curving round insects that 

 get entangled by their viscid tips. ED.] 



LXXXVI. HAMAMELIDE^E. 



(HAMAMELIDE^E, Br. HAMAMELACE^E, Lindl.) 



COROLLA or polypetalous. PETALS 45, perigynous, (estivation valvate, APETA- 

 LOUS FLOWERS polyandrous ; PETALOID FLOWERS diplostemonous. STAMENS some fer- 

 tile, opposite to the petals ; others sterile, squamiform, alternate. OVARY semi-inferior, 

 ^-celled ; OVULES pendulous, anatropous. FRUIT a capsule. EMBRYO albuminous, 

 axile ; RADICLE superior. STEM woody. LEAVES alternate, stipulate. 



SHRUBS, or small or large TREES, with cylindric branches glabrous or stellately 

 hairy. LEAVES alternate, petioled, simple, penninerved ; stipules geminate at the 

 base of the petioles, deciduous. FLOWERS $ , or $ ? by arrest, sub-sessile, in a 

 fascicle, head or spike, usually bracteate. CALYX superior, sometimes of 4-5 lobes, 

 imbricate in bud, deciduous ; sometimes truncate, with 5-7 sinuous teeth, callous. 

 COROLLA (Fothergilla) or polypetalous. PETALS perigynous, alternate with the 

 calyx-lobes, valvate in bud, deciduous. STAMENS of the petaloid flowers inserted with 

 the petals, and double them in number, those opposite to the petals fertile, the others 

 sterile, squamiform ; those of the apetalous flowers indefinite ; filaments free, short 



IJamamelis virginica. 



