ANON ACE. "E. 



209 



have multiovulate ovaries ; the hitter are in a variable number of 

 rows, and the connective is prolonged above the extrorse anther 

 into an obtuse projection of variable length, narrower than the anther 

 itself (fig. 250). The stamens are shorter as they are more external. 

 But this genus presents remarkable examples of reduction in the 

 numbers of all the parts of the flower, and we shall see how we 

 gradually arrive at certain species in which all the floral whorls are 



Bocagea heterantlia. 



Fig. 243. 

 Flower-bud [\). 



Fig. 244. 



Flower, the outer petals 



removed. 



Fig. 245. 

 Longitudinal section of fiower, 



Fig. 240. 



Triandrous fiower, perianth 



removed. 



Fig. 247. 

 Diagram. 



only trimerous, while each ovary contains but one ovule ; and that, 

 without its being possible to found distinct generic sections in this 

 small group, because the transitions between the species are all so 

 perfectly gradual. 



Thus B. verrucosa,^ with numerous stamens, has no more than 

 three or four pluriovulate carpels. B. imdtijlora; a Brazilian 

 species, has indefinite carpels ; but each contains only three or four 



' The stamens are usually from twelvi; to 

 fifteen in number. The petals are nearly all 

 equal, and the calyx is like a small equilateral 

 triangle with blunt vertices. The iinier sta- 

 mens are much the longer, and stick to the feet 

 iif the carpels. These are free, but their dilated 



VOL. 1. 



stigmatiferous heads are glued together to form 

 a thick mass. There are usually eight ovules in 

 each carpel. The fioral receptacle is haiilly 

 convex. 



2 Makt., loc. cit., t. 14. — H. Bn., Jdaii- 

 soiiia, viii. 101. — Gvaftenn muUiflora l'(Vi'i'.. 



