302 NATURAL HISTORY OF PLANTS. 



GENERA 



I. ASTEOCAEPE^. 



1. Astrocarpus Neck. — Sepals 4-6, unequal imbricate. Petals 

 4-6, alternate unequal, membranous appendiculate at base, subentire 

 or 2- oo -fid ; posterior larger and more divided than anterior. Disk 

 glandular, subsessile or more or less stipitate, expanded behind. 

 Carpels 4-6, free, subverticilate at apex of stipitiform receptacle ; style 

 short, stigmatose within. Ovules 1, 2, descending campylotropous ; 

 micropyle introrse superior. Follicles stellately divaricate, 1 -seeded. 

 Seed reniform ; embryo fleshy exalbuminous. — A herb, often woody 

 branching from base ; leaves alternate linear entire ; stipules minute ; 

 flowers in terminal racemes ; pedicels short {South Europe). See p. 291 . 



II. EESEDEiE. 



2. Beseda T. — Flowers irregular ; calyx 4-8-partite, imbricate. 

 Petals as many, unequal, subentire or 2— co-fid ; posterior more 

 divided, and with a broader internal membranous appendage at base. 

 Disk obliquely urceolate, much higher behind. Stamens go (2-40) 

 inserted inside disk, free. Germen sessile or stipitate at apex 3-4- 

 lobed, more or less open between styles ; placentas 3, 4, parietal, 

 entire or 2 -fid at apex ; styles as many alternate, stigmatose at apex. 

 Ovules co, descending, 2-6-seriate. Capsule gaping at apex, 3, 4-lobed. 

 Seeds cc, exalbuminous (of Astro carpus). — Annual or perennial herbs, 

 erect or decumbent, glabrous or pilose leaves alternate entire, lobed 

 or pinnatisect; stipules minute; flowers racemose, bracteate {Central 

 and South Europe, West and Central Asia, North East, and South Africa). 

 See p. 294. 



3. Oligomeris C a jibess.— Flowers hermaphrodite ; calyx 2-5- 

 partite. Petals 2, alternating with posterior sepal, free or connate. 

 Stamens 4, posterior, or often 3, alternate with petals {Ilesedelta), or 



