72 NATURAL HISTORY OF PLANTS. 



leaves digitate 3-7-foliolate ; flowers in axillary racemes {China, 

 Japan). See p. 45. 



5. Holbcellia Wall. — Flowers monoecious. Sepals 6, 2-seriate ; 

 outer 3 valvate. Petals 6, small (very small in female flower). 

 Stamens 6, free ; anthers (small barren in female flower) apiculate 

 extrorse 2-rimose. Carpels 3 (or 4-6 ; rudimentary in male flower) ; 

 ovules oc , attached to pilose wall, go -seriate. Berries oblong inde- 

 hiscent ; seeds go , immersed in pulp. — Climbing shrubs ; leaves 

 digitate 3-7-foliolate ; flower in 1- or 2-sexual racemes ; pedicels 

 subtumid ; articulate at base {Himalaya). See p. 45. 



6. Akebia Dcne. — Flowers monoecious ; sepals 3 or more rarely 

 4-6, petaloid sub valvate. Petals 0. Stamens of male flower 6 or 

 more rarely 3-12; filaments short, free, shortly expanding into sub- 

 clavate anther ; cells 2, linear extrorse rimose. Rudimentary carpels 

 2-6. Stamens of female flower small, sterile, 3-9. Carpels 3-12, 

 free ; ovules go , inserted on papillose wall ; style short, finally sub- 

 peltate, stigmatose. Berries large ; dehiscence follicular. Seeds 

 go , immersed in pulpy involute endocarp ; albumen abundant ; 

 embryo oblique, subapiculate, small. — Climbing shrubs ; leaves 

 alternate digitate 3-5-foliolate ; flowers in axillary racemes ; female 

 flowers inferior {China, Japan). See p. 46. 



II. ERYTHROSPERME.E. 



7. Erythrospermum Lamk. — Flowers hermaphrodite, or more 

 rarely subpolygamous. Leaves of perianth 7-13, ternately 3-5-seriate, 

 unequal, imbricate, increasing in size and more petaloid inwards 

 Stamens 5-9 ; filaments slender, free, subsagittate ; cells marginal 

 linear, longitudinally rimose at sides. Germen free, 1-locular 

 apex produced into a short subentire or 3, 4-fid stigmatose style 

 placentas parietal 3 or more rarely 4 ; ovules oo anatropous. Fruit 

 thick, at length with 3, 4 valves ; seeds go , surrounded by pulp 

 embryo small, straight or slightly incurved. — Trees or shrubs; 

 leaves entire alternate subopposite or verticillate ; flowers in simple or 

 branched axillary or terminal racemes {Madagascar, insular). See p. 48. 



