FEOTEAGEM. 385 



tube, while above their union forms a sort of ball. Later on the 

 four leaves separate, either all the way down or only for a variable 

 extent. 1 The androceum consists of four stamens superposed to the 

 perianth-leaves, and inserted in a sort of spoon-shaped cavity at the 

 top of each. Each stamen is formed of an extremely short filament, 

 and a basifixed introrse two-celled anther of longitudinal dehiscence. 

 The gynieceum is free ; it is composed of a one-celled ovary, sur- 

 mounted by a persistent slender style whose tip dilates into a head 

 of variable form, stigmatiferous along a vertical line or oblique 

 surface. 2 On the posterior wall of the ovary-cell is found a longi- 

 tudinal placenta, 3 whose two linear lips bear each a vertical row of 

 ovules. These are ascending anatropous, 4 with their micropyles 

 downwards and outwards — i. e. towards the anterior aspect of the 

 flower. Their chalazal ends are already dilated, flattened, and imbri- 

 cated with the corresponding parts of the neighbouring ovules. At 

 the base of the ovary next to the placenta is a hypogynous disk, 

 forming a fleshy glandular crescent (figs. 211, 212). The fruit 

 (fig. 213) is a many-seeded follicle, opening longitudinally when ripe 

 to free a number of imbricated ascending seeds, each of which 

 contains in the lower parts of its thin coats a fleshy exalbuminous 

 embryo, with its inferior radicle partly concealed by the descending 

 auricles of the two cotyledons. The seed is dilated above into a 

 long membranous wing 5 (figs. 214, 215). jEmbothrium consists of 

 unarmed trees and shrubs from the south of South America; five 

 species are known ; 6 they have simple alternate petiolate exstipulate 

 leaves, articulated at the base. The flowers, which form terminal 

 racemes, are in pairs on pedicels axillary to the alternate bracts of the 

 principal axis of the inflorescence. 



1 Tins rim surrounding the base of the peri- 5 The thin translucent wing is traversed by 

 anth is only a dilatation of the apex of the pe- fibrovaseular bundles, which join those of the 

 duncle, which we shall find occurs in most members raphe, as well as of the clialaza, and vary 

 of this order. in their course through the wing with the species. 



2 This is the sole real difference between Em- They form very capricious curves in the wing, 

 bothrium proper and Oreocallis, which has been according to the degree of deviation from their 

 made a distinct genus, and possesses an elliptical primitive direction they undergo during the de- 

 or shield-like stigmatic surface, more or less flat- vclopment of the membranous chalazal appendage. 

 tened, or convex and oblique. But these difle- 6 L. F., Swppl., 128. — Foest., in Comm. 

 rences can on no account be taken as generic cha- Soc. Reg. GoetL, ix. 24. — Cav., Icon., i. 63, t. 

 racters, occurring as they do in various species of 65. — It. & Pay., Fl. Per., i. 62, t. 95, 96. — 

 other extremely natural genera. LiAMK., Diet., ii. 354. — Gat (C), Fl. Chil, v. 



3 Corresponding as in Leguminosa >, to the in- 305. — Hook. F., Fl. Aniarct., ii. 341. — Ki.., in 

 terval between the two posterior leaves of the Idmcea, x. 474 (Oreocallis). — Boi. Mag., t. 

 perianth. 4856. — Wali\, Ann., i. 592 {Oreocallis). 



4 They have two coats. 



VOL. II. ( < 



