ROSACEA. 343 



they differ in cliaracters, which, thougli very easy to seize, are yet 

 of no great fundamental value. The chief is the final consistency 

 of the persistent receptacular sac enclosing the true fruits ; this is 

 fleshy in the Roses, dry in the Agrimonies, but in either it may 

 bear rigid prickles. Nor can we allow very great value to the 

 reduction in the sexual organs, or the difference in habit and mode 

 of vegetation in the latter genus. 



Leucomidea} differs very little from the Agrimonies in the charac- 

 ters of its flower. Here also the receptacular sac persists around the 

 achenes, enclosing them completely ; but it becomes very hard, wliile 

 remaining smooth externally. The sepals are valvate, five or six in 

 number, accompanied by as many alternating leaves of stipular 

 nature,^ like those we shall observe in the Alchemils. The petals 

 are short, inserted around a thick ring formed by the superior 

 edge of the disk ; so, too, are the stamens, from ten to twelve in 

 number, whose introrse anthers bear a circle of glandular projections 

 from the backs of the connectives. The gynjeceum is analogous to 

 that of the Agrimonies, being formed of from two to four free carpels, 

 whose ovaries contain a single suspended ovule, and terminate in a 

 filiform style. Only one species of this genus is know^n, L. cericea,^ 

 a shrub from the Cape of Good Hope, whose leaves are alternate, 

 crowded, imparipinnate, and silky, with unequal incised leaflets, 

 and two adnate petiolar stipules. The flowers are grouped into 

 terminal spikes, each flower axillary to a bract, and accompanied 

 by two sterile bractlets. 



The Kousso or Cousso' (figs. 3S8-392), with the floral organization 

 of the preceding genera, but with the very different liabit of the 

 Service-trees, has polygamous or dioecious flowers, whose receptacle 

 forms a pouch with a contracted mouth, furnished with a disk pro- 

 jecting into a membranous rim. In the male flowers (figs. 389, 390) 

 this sac is of no great depth, and only contains a rudimentary 

 gynaiceum. In the female flowers (figs. 391, 392), on the contrary. 



' EcKL. & Zeyh., Enuni. PI. Cap., 265.— * j?ra^era K., Brater, Notice {IS2\) ; Did. 



Endl., Gen., n. 6375.— B. H., Gen., 622, n. 52. Class. d'Hist. Nat., i. 501, ic— DC, Frodr., ii. 



'■^ It is especially with respect to the Straw- 588.— Spach, Suit, a Buffon, i. 453.— Endl... 



berries atid I'otcutils that we shall have to en- Gen., n. 6395. — B. H., Gen., 622, n. 51. — 



quire into the signification of the appendages Bankesia Bhuce., Trar. Niih. S: Ahi/ss., cil. 2, 



which unite to form what is called a calycle. vii. 181; trad. Castkk., x.'dl.—JIagenia W .. 



* EcKL. & Zeyu., loc. cit. ; Herb., n, 1716.— Spec., ii. 331. 

 Hakv. & Soxi)., Fl. Cap., ii. 289. 



