298 



NATURAL HISTORY OF PLANTS. 



MolUnedia (Matthcea) sancta. 



Tlius we gradually arrive at a species of the same genus, called 

 MatihcBa mncta' (ligs. 333-336), in wliicli the androceum pre- 

 sents the greatest reduction 

 known in the number of its 

 elements. This species has 

 exactly the perianth of 

 Wllkiea or Kibaropsis, but 

 the sterile stamens have 

 disappeared, and we only- 

 find four stamens with 

 nearly sessile narrow sad- 

 dle-shaped anthers, super- 

 posed to the perianth- 

 lobes.' The female flower 

 and fruit are altogether those of the plants described above. 

 The onl}' known species of this section is a shrub with shortly 



MolUnedia (^Matthcea) sancta. 



Transverse section of 

 male flower. 



Fig. 334. 



Long, section 



of male flower (Y). 



Fig. 335. 

 Female flower, dehiscing. 



Fig. 336. 

 Long, section of female flower Cj*). 



petiolate entire or serrulate leaves, and monoecious flowers in axil- 

 lary cymes. 



In the plants we are now about to study, the fruits, instead of 



' Hl., Mu8. Lugd. Bat.,\\. 89, t. 10.— A. DC, 

 Prodr., xvi., g. post., G09. — H. Bx., Adamonia, 

 ix. 118. 121. 



2 " yonnisi dehiscentia antherarum a Kibara 

 differre videlur." (A. DC, loc. cit.) This de- 

 hiscenre is the same in both types. The two 

 cells, close together at the apex, each dehisce by 



a submarginal cleft, but later on the two clefts 

 coalesce above to form a single curved line with 

 its concavity downwards (tigs. 332-334). These 

 stamens are exactly like those of JSphippiandra, 

 except that the curve formed by the two cells is 

 a little greater, owing to the greater elevation of 

 the connective. 



