BEBBEBIDACEJE. 



47 



external longitudinal fissure. At the time of dehiscence the inner- 

 most layer of the pericarp separates from the outer layers, and rolls 

 up with the contained seeds into a long cylindrical mass in the 

 ventral angle of the fruit. The seeds concealed in this pulpy body 



Akebia quinata. 



Fig. 42. 

 Male flower 



Fig. 44. 

 Female flower. 



Fig. 43. 



Long. sect, of male 

 flower. 



Fig. 41. 

 Flowering branch. 



Fig. 45. 



Long. sect, of female 

 flower. 



contain within their coats 1 an enormous albumen, in whose organic 

 apex is lodged a very small oblique dicotyledonous embryo. Four 

 species 2 of Akebia have been described, Lianas from China and Japan. 

 The leaves are alternate digitate, and the flowers form axillary 

 racemes with the females on the lower part. 3 



1 Inside a fleshy envelope is a smooth, glisten- 

 ing, blackish outer coat, and a soft corky inner 

 coat, membranous over the greater part of the 

 seed, much thickened all over the chalazal region. 

 The very small embryo is lodged near the apex 

 of the albumen, at about a quarter-circum- 

 ference from the hilum. Near this last is a 

 small whitish fleshy aril, besides the general 

 pulpy envelope. 



Sieb. & Zucc, Fl. Jap., t. 77, 78. —A. 



Lavall£e, in Sort. Fran<;., xix. 103, t. 4. — 

 Bot. Mag., t. 4864.— Bot. Reg. (1847), t. 28.— 

 Walp., Rep., i. 98. 



3 The leaves are borne on flexible t« igs, which 

 spring from scaly buds every year. The petiole 

 is articulated at the base, and the petiolules at 

 both base and apex. Tn A. quinata the racemes 

 are axillary to the inferior scales of the annual 

 twigs. The female flowers are almost always 

 few in number. 



