36 NATURAL HISTORY OF PLANTS. 



incurved, apiculate ; anthers basifixed ; cells lateral, rimose. Carpels, 

 3-6 ; styles. . . ? Drupes stipitate, suboval ; scar of style slightly 

 removed from base ; lamina of putamen intruded from base. Seed 

 hippocrepiform ; embryo exalbuminous thick ; cotyledons semi- 

 cylindrical fleshy.— Stems climbing ; leaves large, 5-nerved at base ; 

 racemes subsimple ; sparsely branched, or more usually (male) much 

 branched, axillary, or coming laterally from the wood (Tropical 

 America). See p. 8. 



13. Sychnosepalum Eichl. — Sepals co , in 3-ao series, gradually 

 enlarging from base. Petals 6, in 2 series; smaller than inner 

 sepals, concave. Stamens 6 (3-6 sterile in female flower), either all 

 connate at base, or inner 3 markedly 1-adelphous ; outer free, 

 shorter ; cells of 3 inner anthers lateral or extrorse, rimose ; outer 

 anthers usually smaller, introrse. Carpels 6, united at base ; styles 

 connivent into column ; stigmas short spreading. Drupes united 

 at base, outer surface convex ; scar of style a little way from base ; 

 process intruded from base of endocarp. Seed exalbuminous? 

 Embryo. . . ? — Stems climbing, tomentose ; leaves coriaceous, 

 3-5 -nerved ; flowers in racemes or simple or branched spikes 

 (Tropical South America). See p. 8. 



14. Sciadotaenia Miers. — Male flower. . . ? Sepals of female 

 flower 9-12, in 3-4 series ; outer smaller, bract-like ; inner 3 much 

 larger, erect, valvate. Petals 6, in 2 series, membranous, oblong. 

 Stamens 6, sterile ; outer 3 lengthened, often thickened at apex into 

 a sterile anther ; 3 smaller or wanting. Carpels ao sessile, collected 

 into a sphere, mutually much compressed ; ovules 2, one small 

 sterile ; style slender, glabrous, reflexed. Drupes 6-1 2, long 

 stipitate ; stalks clavate, connate at base ; pericarp subglobular 

 compressed ; scar of style slightly removed from base ; process of 

 thin putamen intruded. Seed hippocrepiform ; embryo thick, fleshy, 

 albuminous. — Stems climbing, leaves ovate-acuminate, 3-5-nerved 

 at base, veined transversely; female flowers solitary axillary; peduncle 

 long slender nutant (Guiana). See p. 9. 



15. Pleogyne Miers. — Sepals 7-9, in 3 series; outer 4-6 small 

 or subulate, bract-like, imbricate; inner 3 larger, apex recurved 



