428 NATURAL HISTORY OF PLANTS. 



branches terete or angulate at apex ; leaves alternate membranous, 

 tapering at both ends, subsessile ; flowers in several terminal 1- 

 parous many flowered cymes {North East America, China). See p. 334. 



III. CEPHALOTE.E. 



19. Cephalotus Labill. — Flowers regular small ; receptacle 

 cupulate, lined by a glandular papilligerous disk. Perianth (calyx 

 ? ?) coloured, 6-foliolate, valvate, persistent. Stamens 12, peri- 

 gynously inserted with perianth ; 6 larger, alternating with leaves, 

 and 6 superposed ; filaments free subulate ; anthers 2-dymous 

 introrse, longitudinally dehiscent, finally versatile ; connective tumid 

 subglanclular. Carpels 6, free, inserted at bottom of receptacle round 

 a small central process, alternating with perianth-leaves; ovaries 1- 

 celled, shortly stipitate, tapering into uncinate styles, stigmatose at 

 apex; ovules solitary (or more rarely 2) subbasilar, inserted in internal 

 angle ascending, anatropous ; micropyle inferior, introrse. Follicles 

 6, surrounded at base by persistent receptacle and perianth, shortly 

 stipitate crinite, longitudinally gaping within. Seed suberect ; testa 

 pallid membranous ; albumen fleshy ; embryo axile minute. — A 

 perennial herb ; rhizome short ; leaves all radical alternate petiolate 

 exstipulate ; some oblong entire not-ribbed ; others changed to 

 pendulous ascidia, with ringed operculate mouth. Flowers alter- 

 nately cymose in an erect scape bare at base ; cymes 1-bracteate ; 

 pedicels ebracteate {South Eastern Australia). See p. 335. 



IV. PARNASSIEiE. 



20. Parnassia T. — Flowers regular hermaphrodite; receptacle 

 shortly cupuliform. Sepals 5, imbricate, persistent. Petals 5, 

 alternate, subsessile, entire or fimbriate, imbricate patent rnarces- 

 cent. Stamens 5, more or less perigynously inserted with alternate 

 petals ; anthers ovate or cordate, subintrorse 2-rimose. Scales 5, 

 oppositipetalous, clavate at base, cuneate or multifid ; lacinia) gland- 

 uliferous at apex. Germen for the most part superior, ovoid, 

 1 -celled; placentas 3, 4, parietal (lateral cells 2); ovules go , ana- 

 tropous ; style very short thick, soon divided into 3 or 4 stigma- 

 tiferous lobes, opposite to placentas. Fruit partly or almost wholly 



