EPACRIDEJE. 535 



EPACRIDE^l, 



Calyx 5-partitus, (rarissime 4-part.) s*pe coloratus, 

 persistens. ' 



Corolla hypogyna, monopetala (tubo nunc 5-partibili), 

 Jimbo 5-diviso (rarissime 4-diviso), ^quali, nunc 

 Jacinus cohaerentibus clausa transversim dehiscens ; 

 aestivatione valvata v. imbricata ; decidua v. mar- 

 cescens. 



Stamina numero laciniarum, iisdemque alterna (rar6 

 pauciora). Filamenta epipetala v. hypogyna. An- 

 ttierce snnplices, receptaculo unico poliinifero, sep- 

 tum completum, raro marginatum constituente : in- 

 divisae, Jongitudinaliter dehiscentes. Pollen v. sub- 

 globosum parum angulatum, v. e sphcerulis 3 con- 

 natis compositum. 

 Ouarium sessile, basi squamis 5 distinctis v. connatis 

 saepius cmctum, pluriloculare (raro 1-locul.) se- 

 minibus solitariis v. indeflnitis. Stylus 1. Stiema 

 \, nunc dentatum. 

 Pericarpium drupaceum, baccatum v. capsulare. 

 Semina albuminosa. 



Emhryo teres, rectus, axilis, dimidio albumine longior. 

 trutices-v. Arbusculse, pube dum adsit simplici. Folia 

 alterna, ranssime opposita, integra, (raro serrata,) 

 saepius petiolata v. basi simplici; modo basibus la- 

 tionbus imbricatis, cucullatis, semivaginantibus. 

 Flores spicati v. racemosi terminales ; v. solitarii 

 axillares; calycibus pedicellisve bi-v. multi-bractea- 

 tis, bracteis plerumque textura calycis; albi v. pur- 

 purei, raro cserulei. 



Obs. Ericearum familia nunc adeo vasta est ul pAtius classem 

 quam ordinem constituere videatur, el jamdudum ejus- 

 dem alteram partem nec omnino naturalem solummodo ob 



aliquam 



