382 



NATURAL HISTORY OF PLANTS. 



its rim bears the perianth and androceum. The calyx is formed of 

 five imbricate perigynous sepals, often tipped by a little blackish 



Brunia phylicoides. 



Fig. 457. 

 Flower (f ). 



Fig. 456. 

 Flowering branch. 



Fig. 458. 

 Long. sect, of flower. 



gland ; the corolla of five alternating petals, oval or spatlmlate, im- 

 bricate or subvalvate. On the middle of their inner face they bear a 

 prominent vertical crest, often divided above into two lips by a deep 

 groove. 1 The androceum consists of five alternipetalous stamens, 

 each formed of a free filament, and an introrse two-celled anther of 

 very variable form.'* The half-inferior gynaeceum consists of a two- 

 celled ovary surmounted by a style with two branches, free for a 

 great distance, and indeed usually right down to the base, and dilated 

 or un dilated at the apex, which is covered with stigmatic papillae. The 

 cells of the ovary are separated by a septum, thick or thin, complete or 

 incomplete ; and against this in each cell is an axile placenta bearing 

 above one, or more frequently two descending ovules, with their 

 micropyles at first superior and introrse, and their raphes dorsal. Later 

 on the former are turned aside and outwards, while the latter tend 

 to touch by a torsion comparable to that which occurs in many 

 HamamelidecB. 3 The fruit is dry, either indehiscent or dehiscing by 



4. — Lem. & Dcne., Tr. Gen., 247. — Beckea 

 Buem., Prodr.y 12. — Nebe.lia Neck., Ulem., n. 

 197. 



1 Its apex is sometimes bifid. 



2 The pollen grains are ovoid, with three folds, 



which become papillose bands in water (B. lanu- 

 ginosa, B. abrotanifolla). In B. nodijlora there 

 are six folds and six bands (H. Mohl, in Ann. 

 Sc. Nat., ser. 2, iii. 338). 



3 The cells remain empty in certain species. 



