444 



CIII. LOASE^E. 



placentas ; style simple, 

 filiform or trigonous ; 

 stigma undivided or 3-4- 

 fid ; ovules usually numer- 

 ous, pendulous, anatropous. 

 CAPSULE contorted or 

 cylindric, tunicate by the 

 receptacular cupule (often 

 foliiferous), which some- 

 times only adheres by its 

 nerves, and crowned by 

 the calyx, rarely flesh/ 

 and indehiscent, usually 

 opening at the top, or 

 throughout its length by 

 3-5 valves alternating with 

 the placentas, which adhere 

 to it, or finally separate, 

 and represent alternate 

 valves narrower than the 

 true ones, and semi-semi- 

 niferous. SEEDS usually numerous, pendulous, funicles short ; testa loose, reticulate ; 

 endopleura membranous. EMBEYO straight, in the axis of a fleshy albumen, and 

 nearly equalling it in length ; cotyledons flat, small ; radicle cylindric, longer than 

 the cotyledons, superior. 



PRINCIPAL GENERA. 

 * Mentzelia. * Bartonia. * Loaaa. Cajophora. [Gronovia]. 



Loasea approach Passiflorete (see this family). Like Cucurbitactte, they are generally climbers, with 

 palmilobed leaves ; their ovary is inferior and one-celled, with parietal placentation ; the ovules are 

 numerous and anatropous ; but Cttcurintaccee have definite stamens, extrorse and usually syngenesioua 

 anthers, diclinous .flowers, tendrils, an exalbuminous embryo and corolla, imbricate in bud. The same 

 affinity exists between Loasea and Gronovieee, 1 which again are separated by their pentandrous andrwcium 

 [Cevallta and other Loasete are pentandrous], the fleshy ring crowning the ovary, their dry fruit, which 

 is a nucule, and their exalbumiuous seed. Lonsece have also an affinity with Turneracece, in the con- 

 torted aestivation, one-celled ovary, parietal placentation, numerous anatropous ovules, capsular fruit, and 

 straight albuminous axile embryo ; but in Turneracete the ovary is free, the stamens definite, the valves 

 of the capsule are semi-placentiferous, and the stem is erect. 



Loasea are all American, except the genus Fissenia, which is African. Most of them grow on the 

 slopes of the Cordilleras facing the Pacific Ocean, beyond the equator, but not in cold regions. The 

 species are little used, excepting Mentzelia hispida, which is a strong purgative, and employed by the 

 Mexicans in syphilitic affections. 



Bartonia aurea. 



1 Gronoviea, alluded to in this work under Cucurbitacea, consists of one genus, which undoubtedly belongs to 

 Loasece, with the habit of Cucurbitacea. ED. 



