LEQUMIN0SM-0JE8ALPINIEJE. 109 



Thus constituted, 1 the genus Hymencea contains a dozen species 2 of 

 which two belong- to Trachylobium 3 and three to Veltogyne* All are 

 unarmed trees whose alternate leaves consist of two unsym metrical 

 coriaceous leaflets and five caducous stipules. Their flowers form 

 ramified racemes (described by some as panicles) at the ends of the 

 branches. The bract and pair of bractlets belonging to each flower 

 usually fall very early. 



In Tachigalf the flowers present the general characters of the 

 preceding genera, but lack the lateral bractlets. The receptacle is 

 cornet-shaped, lined with glandular tissue ; its mouth is oblique,'' and 

 on it are inserted five imbricated sepals, 7 and as many alternating 

 imbricated petals. The androceum consists of ten stamens, five 

 superposed to the sepals and five to the petals, and inserted like 

 them on the edges of the receptacle ; each consists of a free filament 

 renexed in the bud and often velvety at the base, and a versatile in- 

 trorse two-celled anther of longitudinal dehiscence. As in Amherstia, 

 Sc/iofia, &c, the gyna3ceum is inserted on the posterior wall of the 

 receptacle ; its pluriovulate stipitate ovary is surmounted hy a style 

 slightly dilated at its stigmatiferous apex. The pod is oblong or 

 elongated, compressed membranous and indehiscent. The oval com- 

 pressed seeds have their embryos surrounded by albumen. Four or 

 five species of Tachiyali are known, 8 unarmed trees from tropical 

 America, whose alternate paripinnate leaves have two usually 

 caducous stipules. The flowers form racemes which are axillary or 

 approximated to form terminal compound racemes. These plants 

 form a connecting link between Amherstiece and Sclerolobiete, pos- 

 sessing the excentric ovary of the former series with the general 

 floral organization of the latter. 



1 Pers., $//»., i. 159 (nee Attbl.). — Valenlinia 

 „ ( 1. Courbaril. Neck., Eleni., n. 1283. — Tassia Rich, (ex 

 o . < 2. Peltogyne. hsin,.). 



Sections 3. ( g Trocii/lolium. r < It is highest behind, so that it slants for- 



2 Walp., Sep., i. 846. wards and downwards. Hence the bud as a whole 



3 Gjektn., loc. cit., t. 139. — Kl., in Pet. is curved, the sepals bending outwards above. 

 Moss. Hot., t. 2. The same curved club-shaped flower-bud occurs 



4 H. B. K., Xov, Gen. et Spec, vi., 323, t. in ScAizolobium. 



5G7. 7 Usually quincuncially, sepal 2 being anterior 



5 Aubl., Guian., 372, t. 143. — TacMgalia and sepals 1 and 3 posterior. 



J., Gen., 349.— Lamk., Did., vii. 550; III., 8 PcErr. & Kndi ., Nov. Gen. et Spec.,t.265. 



t. 339.— DC, Prodr., ii. 487. — Bndi., Gen., — MlQ., Stirp. Surin., t. 3. — TtTL., in Arch. Mus., 



n- 6752.— B. H. Gen., 582, n. 352.— Cubcea iv. 1G0-168.— Walp., Hep., i. 845 j v. 569 



Scop., ex Sciikek., Gen., 278. — Tachia (part.); Ann., ii. 448. 



