CL. POLEMONIACE^. 56:J 



2-celled, dehiscence longitudinal. OVARY with 2 more or less complete cells ; styles 

 2, terminal, distinct ; stigmas capitate ; ovules numerous, anatropous, horizontal or 

 pendent. CAPSULE with 2 valves, sometimes septiferous, leaving the placentiferous 

 septum free, sometimes loculicidal and semi-septiferous. SEEDS numerous, minute, 

 angular ; testa membranous, loose, striate or areolate. EMBRYO straight, in the axis 

 of a fleshy scanty albumen ; radicle near the hilurn, centripetal or superior. 



[Arrangement of Hydroleacece by Choisy in De Candolle's ( Prodromus ' : 



TRIBE I. HYDROLE^;. Capsule 2-celled, septicidal ; septum, free, single, with a fungous 

 placenta on each face. Hydrolea. 



TRIBE II. NAMEJE. Capsule 1-2-celled, loculicidal; septum double, with lamellar pla- 

 centas. Nama, Wigandia, &c.~\ 



We have indicated the affinities of Hydroleacece with Polemoniacece and Hydrophyllece (see these 

 families). They are common in tropical and extra-tropical America ; but Hydrolea itself is the only 

 representative in the Old World, where it inhabits wet places in the tropics. 



CL. POLEMONIACECE. 



(POLEMONIACECE, Ventenat. POLEMONIDE^E, D.C. COB^EACE^E, Don.) 



COROLLA monopetalous, hypogynous, regular, isostemonous, aestivation contorted. 

 STAMENS 5, inserted at the middle or on the top of the corolla-tube. OVARY 3-celled', 

 OVULES solitary and erect, or numerous and ascending. CAPSULE 3-valved. EMBRYO 

 albuminous ; RADICLE superior. 



Herbaceous PLANTS, rarely sub-woody or woody, with watery juice. LEAVES 

 alternate, the lower sometimes opposite, exstipulate. FLOWERS , rarely solitary, 

 usually in a panicle or corymb or involucrate head. CALYX monosepalous, 5-fid. 

 COROLLA monopetalous, hypogynous, infundibuliform or hypocrateriform, limb 

 5-partite, aestivation contorted. STAMENS 5, inserted on the corolla-throat or tube, 

 and alternate with its lobes; anthers 2-celled, dehiscence longitudinal. OVARY 

 seated on a more or less obvious glandular disk, 3-5-celled ; style terminal, 3-fid, or 

 5-fid at the top, papillose on the inner surface ; ovules either solitary and erect at 

 the inner angle of the cell, anatropous, or nunterous, biseriate, peltate by the ventral 

 face, ascending and semi-anatropous. CAPSULE membranous or sub-woody, rarely 

 fleshy, of 3-5 valves septiferous in the middle. SEEDS angular or compressed ; hilum 

 basilar or ventral ; testa sometimes formed of mucilaginous cells with unreliable 

 tracheae. EMBRYO straight or nearly so, in the axis of a fleshy albumen ; cotyledons 

 foliaceous ; radicle inferior. 



[Polemoniacece have been divided by A. Gray into two groups : 



1. Stamens unequally inserted. *Phlox, *Collomia (including *Leptos>'pJion),NaTiarratui, 

 Hugelia, *Gillia, Leptodactylon. 



2. Stamens equally inserted. *Gilia, *Polemonium, *Lceselia, *Cantua, *Colcea.- ED.] 



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