L'tj 



XATVIiAL insTOHY OF TLAXTS. 



Thus defined, 1 the genus Phytolacca includes a dozen species 2 in- 

 habiting the warm and temperate regions of Africa, Asia, Oceania, 

 and America. 



The flowers of Ercilla" are very analogous to those of certain 

 Phytolacca.* Their receptacle is in the form of a little cup with 

 edges scarcely turned up, while the centre rises into a cone bearing 

 the gynaeceum. The perianth inserted upon the margin is formed 

 of five unequal coloured sepals, arranged in the bud in quincuncial 

 prelloration. The stamens are inserted in the same way, each 

 formed of a free filament, and bilocular introse anther, dehiscing by 

 two longitudinal clefts. Their number varies in E. volubilis from 

 eight to eleven. Five of them alternating with the sepals consti- 

 tute an exterior verticil. 5 A second verticil is formed of three 

 stamens nearer the interior, superposed to sepals 3, 4, and 5, but 

 opposite to sepals 1, 2, and when there are from four to six pieces in 

 the inner verticil it is because two or three of its stamens are replaced 

 by a pair of these organs. The gynseceum is composed of five 

 carpels superposed to the sepals ; each of tbem formed of a unilo- 

 cular ovary inserted on the raised part of the receptacle and 

 attenuated above into a style, the inner angle being traversed 

 by a longitudinal groove descending quite to the base of the ovary, 

 the thick reflexed lips of which are covered all over with stigmatic 

 papilla?. The number of carpels is not always five. 6 In the in- 

 ternal angle of each ovary, quite close to the base is a placenta sup- 

 porting a single ascending anatropous ovule with, the micropyle 



1 Phytolacca: 



( 



Sect. 4. / 



Fuphytolacca (Moq.). Fruit single, 



globose-depressed, costate. Herbs 



with erect racemes. 

 Omalopsis (Moq.). Fruit single, 



not costate. Racemes pendent at 



the summit. 



3. Pircuniaslrum (Moq.). Fruit with 

 free carpels. Racemes erect or 

 pendent. 



4. Pseudolacca ( Moq. ). Flowers 

 dioecious, carpels free except at 

 the base. Racemes peuJent. 



2 KjiMPF., Amcen., 828 (Jamma Gobo). — 

 MffiNCH, Melli., Suppl., 107.— H. B. K., Nov. 

 Gen. et Spec, ii. 183.— Sfeenq , Syst., ii. 467, 

 i). 5 (Glirms). — Fobsk., Fl. Mg.-Arab., 58, n. 

 95 (Pkarnaceum). — Sweet, llorl. Brit., ed. 3, 



V 



571. — Waxe., Cat., n. 6959 (Eivina). — Hoffm., 

 in Comm. Gcett., xii. 27, t. 3. — Lh£b., Stirp., i. 

 143, t. 69 ; 145, t. 70.— Rfiir., in C. Gay Fl. 

 Chil., v. 257 (Pirvunia), 259. 



3 A. Juss., in Ann. So. Nat., ser. 1, xxv. 11, 

 t. 3. — Don, in Fdinb. Neio Phil. Journ., xiii. 

 237. — Moq., Prodr., •di.—Frcilia Endl., Gen., 



K n. 5263. — Bridgesia Hook, et Abn., in Bot. 

 Misc., iii. 168, t. 102. — Galvezia Beetee., mss. 

 (ex Moq.). 



4 Of which, perhaps with reason, a section 

 only might be made. 



6 Exceptionally these stamens may be the only 

 ones which subsist. 



6 One or several carpels may in fact be re- 

 placed by a pair ; so much tendency is there to 

 deduplication in these plants. 



