200 



NATURAL HISTORY OF PLANTS. 



fifteen species are known, most frequently described as belonging to 

 the genus Aiiuiin ;' in fact, we may say that Aberemoa is Ariona with 

 all the petals imbricated. 



CU'htovhlcuinjs' has small axillary sessile flowers of the same general 

 structure as in Cananga and Aberemoa : the imbricated petals are 

 inserted on a slightly convex receptacle, as are the indefinite stamens, 

 whose extrorse anthers are surmounted by a truncate dilatation of the 

 connective ; above the stamens are the uniovulate carpels, of variable 

 number,^ with narrow, slightly capitate styles. But the calyx is a sort 

 of irregular sac, at first closed, and afterwards torn irregularl}^ into two, 

 three, or four unequal parts. The fruit consists of several elongated, 

 stipitate, one-seeded berries. But one species'* of this genus is 

 known — a small glabrous tree from the east of tropical Africa, with 

 oval-oblong leaves ; its habit is that of several species of Pojjowia, a 

 genus to which it was at first referred. 



Oxandnc' has small flowers, like Cleistocldamp ; but the calyx 

 consists of three imbricate leaves, not of a valvate sac of one single 



piece. The six petals are imbricated, as in 

 Uvaria ; and the stamens are of the form termed 

 " stamina Miliusearum." They are indefinite, 

 but not generally numerous, any more than 

 the carpels. Taking, for instance, the flower 

 of 0. esjnntana^ (fig. 23G), we see that the 

 androceum consists of only a couple of rows 

 of stamens within the perianth. These are 

 lanceolate in form, and end in a long point, 

 which is simply the apex of the connective, 

 and is quite continuous with the filament. 

 To tlie outer face of this body are applied two parallel linear, 

 extrorse anther-cells, dehiscing longitudinally. The carpels are 

 five or six in namber, grouped into a crown on the slightly 



Oxandra esplniana. 

 Fig. 236. 

 Flower («)• 



' JIaut., F1. Bran., Anonac, 22, t. 5.— 

 ScHLTL., lot: ciL, 320, 328. — Walp., Eej)., i. 

 85; ii. 747; Ann., i. 17; iii. 813; iv. 57. 



2 Oliv., Journ. Linn. Soc, ix. 175 — B. H., 

 Gen., 956, n. 6, a. — H. Bx., Adansonia, viii. 

 336. 



^ There are from five to ten. The ovule is 

 nearly basilar with the micropyle downwards and 

 outwardn. 



* C. Kirlii Oliv., loc. elf. — Popowia ? KirJcii 

 Bentii., Linn. Trans., xxiii. 470, n. 2. The 

 species was found on the banks of the Zambesi by 

 Dr. Kirk in Livingstone's expedition. 



* A. KiCH., Fl. Cub., 20, t. viii.— H. Bn., 

 Adansonia, viii. 168, 336. — Bocagea B. H., Oen., 

 29, n. 39 (A. S. H., Fl. Bras. 3Ier., i. 41). 



* II. Bn., loc. cit., 166. — Bocagea espintana 

 Spruce, cx Benth., Journ. Linn. Soc, v. 71. 



