332 



NATURAL HISTORY OF PLANTS. 



Tolmiea Menziesii. 



Fig. 373. 

 Diagram. 



are the three larger ones, each with a fertile stamen superposed (fig. 

 373) ; and between the sepals are seen long capillary filaments, which 

 are considered petals. The free dicarpellary gynseceum and capsular 

 fruit are those of a Saxifrage. Menziesia, 1 the only known species 

 of the genus, is a North American perennial, with a creeping rhizome, 



which gives off aerial branches covered with leaves ; 

 these are alternate, cordate, incised-lobate, with 

 membranous stipules ; the flowers are on drooping 

 pedicels in terminal racemes. 



Eremosyne pectinate? is a little Australian herb, 

 with the aspect of a small Caryophyllad, and pos- 

 sessing a slender annual stem, with alternate lobed 

 leaves. The small flowers grouped in ramified 

 dichotomous cymes are nearly those of a Saxifrage 

 as regards the half-inferior dicarpellary gynseceum, 

 the pentamerous calyx and perigynous corolla and androceum. But in 

 each of the nearly complete cells of the ovary is only a single 

 subbasilar ovule, attached to the ventral angle, and ascending, 

 with its micropyle downwards and inwards (?). The fruit is a little 

 membranous loculicidal capsule, compressed at right angles to the 

 septum. The seeds contain fleshy albumen surrounding the embryo. 

 The receptacle of Vahlia (figs. 374, 375) 3 forms a hollow hemi- 

 sphere or short cornet, but on its edges are inserted five valvate sepals, 

 five shorter alternating petals, and five epigynous stamens, whose 

 filaments are inserted around a little circular disk framing the base 

 of the styles ; they are often dilated at the base into a sort of scale, 

 and then taper to the apex, which bears an introrse two-celled 

 anther of longitudinal dehiscence. The ovary is inferior, one-celled, 

 with two or more, rarely three very imperfect septa projecting into 

 its cavity, and separating the two or three placentas to a variable 

 extent. These are ovoidal, suspended in the ovary by the narrow 

 end (fig. 375), and are covered with small anatropous ovules. 4 The 



1 Heucliera Menziesii Hook., Fl. Por.-Amer., 

 i. t. 80. 



2 Endl., in Bueg. Eniim., 53 ; Gen., n. 4629 ; 

 Iconogr., t. 112.— B. H., Gen., 634, n. 2 — 

 Benth., Fl. Austral., ii. 449. 



3 Thunb., Nov. Gen , ii. 36 (nee Dahl). — J., 

 Gen., 318.— Lame., Bid., viii. 284; III, t. 183; 



E. Be., in Frankl. Journ., 766.— DC, Prodr., 

 iv. 53. — Endl., Gen., n. 4631. — Pafee, Fam. 

 Nat., 86.— B. H., Gen,, 637, n. 10.— Eusselia 

 L. fil., Suppl,, 24 (nee Jacq.). — Bistella Del., 

 Cent. PI. Afr., in Caill. Toy., 97, t. 63, fig. 2. 

 4 The styles are short or elongated. 



