CELASTllACK.E. 395 



Okdek XLT. CELASTKACE.E. 



IJy W. Tkki.kask. 



Woody plants, sometimes spiiiose or cliinbing. Leaves alternate or opposite, 

 simple, not lobed, entire or serrate, not <,dan(lular-punctate, with minute or fre- 

 quently abortive stipules. Flowers commonly in reduced axillary cymes, rarely 

 sul)panicled, small, often greenish, perfect or diuicious by abortion, 4— 5-merous, 

 with a conspicuous disk often surrounding the base of the ovary. Calyx deeply 

 j)arted, with imbricate persistent segments. Petals distinct, inserted below the 

 free margin of the disk, not hooded. Stamens mostly as many as the petals and 

 alternate with them (fewer in Hippocratea, and mostly of double the number in 

 Glossupetalon), distinct, commonly inserted on or beneath the margin of the disk ; 

 anthers short, rounded, 2-celled, introrse, versatile on short filaments. Pistil 

 mostly compound ; ovary 1-5-ceIled, scarcely lobed, free from the calyx but 

 sometimes more or less invested by the disk; ovules 1 to 10, variously situated; 

 style mostly short or wanting ; stigmas 1 to 5, capitate, lateral or rarely expanded, 

 mostly short. Fruit capsular (then loculicidal, with the septa adhering to the 

 valves), drupaceous or winged, 1-few-seeded ; seeds mostly arillate or caruncu- 

 late, albuminous except in Mdijlenus and Hippocratea ; embryo with flat cotyle- 

 dons. — Represented in our flora by two very distinct tribes, sometimes treated 

 as orders. 

 Tribe I. CELASTRE.E. Stamens mostly 4 or 5, inserted on or below the margin 



of the disk. Fruit and seeds not winged in our genera. 



* Stamens as many as the petals or sepals. 

 •\- Fruit locnlicidal : ovary nearly or quite immersed in the disk : leaves normally opposite. 



1. EUONYMUS. Flowers seemingly perfect but really polyfj^amo-trid'cious, 4-5-nierons. 

 Style mostly short, terminal ; ovary 3-5-ci'lled, with 2 to 10 ovules in eaih cell. Capsule 

 lobed, coriaceous, often maj^enta-colored, with usually a single large seed in each cell ; seed 

 enclosed in a scarlet or orange aril. 



2. PACHISTIMA. Flowers perfect, 4-merons. Style short, at lenfjth commonly unilat- 

 eral : ovary 2-celled, with 2 erect ovules in each cell. Capsule not lobed, small, oMnim, 

 2-odiTed, usually 1-seeded and commonly unilateral by abortion ; seed with a pale lacerate 

 aril at base. 



^— -1— Fruit loculici<lal : leaves alternate. 



3. CELASTRUS. Flowers subdi(rciou9, 5-merou9. Anthers oval, mucronate. Ovary free, 

 usually 3-4-cellcd, with 2 erect ovules in eacli cell. Seed enclosed in a crimson aril. 



4. MAYTENUS. Flowers polygamo-dio?cious, 4-r)-merou9. Anthers round-cordate. Ovary 

 confluent witli tlie disk below, usually .3-4-celled, with a single erect ovule in each cell. 

 Seed exall)UiMiiious, with a red aril open above. 



-t— -1— -I— Fruit dry or ilrupaceous, indehiscent : leaves mostly alternate. 



5. GYMINDA. Flowers dio'cious, 4 merous. Stamens erect. Stigma .«e.<sile, terminal ; 

 ovary ]mitly immersed in the disk, 2(-4?)-celled, with a suspended ovule in each cell. 



l)rii])c s]ihcrc>idal ; seed almost without aril. 



