SAXTFBA GA CEM. 437 



embryo axile albuminous. — An undershrub ; branches slender ; 

 leaves alternate, ovate or oblong, acuminate, narrowly serrulate ; 

 flowers in lax branching terminal racemes ; pedicels pluribracteate 

 {Bourbon). See p. 352. 



43. Polyosma Bl. — Receptacle oblong-ovoid or turbinate ; throat 

 much contracted. Calyx superior short, 4-dentate, persistent. Petals 

 4, alternate and epigynously inserted with sepals, linear, valvate, de- 

 ciduous. Stamens 4, inserted and alternating with petals ; filaments 

 free ; anthers elongated basifixed, introrse, longitudinally 2-rimose. 

 Germen inferior, 1 -celled ; style slender; base dilated after anthesis; 

 apex more or less thickened stigmatose ; placentas 2, parietal in- 

 truded ; ovules co , anatropous. Berry ovoid ; apex masked by 

 cicatrix of perianth; 1-celled. Seed 1, ascending filling cell; 

 testa rather thick ; embryo minute below apex of thick fleshy 

 albumen. — Branching trees or shrubs ; leaves alternate or opposite, 

 petiolate simple exstipulate persistent ; flowers rarely solitary, in 

 multifloral terminal racemes; bractlets 1, 2 below receptacle {South- 

 east Asia, warm Oceania). See p. 353. 



44. Itea L. — Flowers nearly of Polj/osma ; receptacle obconical or 

 subcampanulate. Sepals 5, ovate or subulate, imbricate, persistent } 

 and petals as many alternate valvate, inflexed at very apex ; after- 

 wards patent or reflexed, inserted in margin of receptacle. Stamens 5 } 

 inserted with alternate petals below edge of perigynous disk ; fila- 

 ments free subulate ; anthers introrse 2-rimose. Germen half- or 

 almost wholly superior ; cells 2, complete or incomplete ; style 

 erect simple, finally 2-partible ; apex stigmatose capitate ; ovules co , 

 sometimes few, 2-seriate on parietal placentas. Capsule to a great 

 extent superior, conical or oblong, septicidally 2-valved. Seeds co , 

 or few fusiform ; testa laxly membranous produced on both sides, 

 sometimes crustaceous shining ; albumen fleshy ; embryo axile 

 cylindrical. — Trees or shrubs; leaves alternate petiolate exstipu- 

 late, oblong or lanceolate, glandular-dentate or crenate ; flowers in 

 simple racemes sometimes much elongated, axillary and terminal 

 {North America, Mountainous Central and Eastern Asia, Java). See 

 p. 353. 



