CXXXIV. PLUMB AGINE^. 527 



base and amplexicaul, exstipulate. FLOWERS , on simple or branched scapes, in 

 unilateral spikes, panicles, or scarious capitula; each flower 3 2-bracteate, usually 

 scarious. CALYX persistent, tubular, scarious coriaceous or herbaceous, sometimes 

 coloured, with 5 folds and teeth, rarely 5-phyllous. COROLLA inserted on the recep- 

 tacle, sometimes monopetalous, hypocrateriform, with a narrow angular tube and 

 4-partite regular limb, imbricate in aestivation (Plumbago); sometimes of 5 petals 

 cohering by their bases or quite free, contorted in aestivation (Statics). STAMENS 5, 

 opposite to the petals or corolla-lobes, inserted on the receptacle when the flower is 

 monopetalous, and on the claws of the petals when it is polypetalous ; filaments fili- 

 form; anthers introrse, cells separate at the base, opening by longitudinal slits. 

 OVARY free, 1-celled, with 5 prominences at the top ; styles 5 (rarely 3-4), inserted 

 on the prominences of the ovary, distinct, rarely connate ; stigmas capillary, furnished 

 on their inner surface with several lines of glands, rarely capitate ; ovule solitary, 

 anatropous, suspended from a funicle fixed to the bottom of the cell. FRUIT mem- 

 branous, included in the calyx, sometimes a capsule and 5-valved at the top, some- 

 times a utricle breaking irregularly round its base and along its sides. SEED 

 inverted, sometimes appearing erect by the union of the funicle with its integuments 

 (Plumbago). EMBRYO straight, in a scanty farinaceous albumen; cotyledons flat; 

 radicle short, superior. 



TRIBE I. PLUMBAGINE^E VER^I. Calyx herbaceous. Corolla monopetalous. 

 Stamens inserted on the receptacle. Styles connate. Fruit a capsule. 



PRINCIPAL GENERA. 

 * Plumbago. Vogelia. 



TRIBE II. STATICE^E. Calyx scarious or coriaceous. Corolla with 5 free or 

 almost free petals. Stamens inserted at the base of the petals. Styles distinct. 

 Fruit a utricle. 



PRINCIPAL GENERA. 

 * Armeria. * Statice. . /Egialitis. Acantholimou. 



We shall indicate the affinities between Plumbaffineee and Plantar/mew under the latter family. The 

 diagnosis of Plantaginece rests on its two-celled and many-ovuled ovary, its peltate seeds, simple style, and 

 non-farinaceous albumen. The affinity is closer between Plttmbagineee and Prinntlacete : in both the anthers 

 are introrse and opposite to the petals, the aestivation contorted, at least in Statice, the ovary one-celled, 

 and the central placentation free, the fruit opens circularly, or by more or less perfect valves, and the 

 embryo is straight ; the ovule is indeed solitary in Plumbaginece, but, as Brougniart has observed, the 

 ovary is symmetrical, with five nerves and five stigmas, which indicates a plurality of carpels. Primulacea; 

 are distinguished by their simple stigma, ovules with a ventral hilum and non-farinaceous albumen. 

 Endlicher has noticed some relations between Pkifnbaffinea, Brunoniacetp, and Globulariea', founded on the 

 inflorescence, hypogyny, one-celled and one-ovuled ovary and anatropous ovule ; but a full diagnosis weakens 

 this affinity (see these families), which is truer with Frankeniacece. In this family, as in Plumbaginea, we 

 find a stem with swollen nodes, fascicled leaves, an hypogynous isostemonous corolla, contorted {Estivation, 

 a, one-celled ovary, styles furnished with stigmatic papillae on their inner edge, and a farinaceous albu- 

 men. Plumbaginece and Polygonece may also be compared : in both the stamens are hypogynous, the 



