42 NATURAL HISTORY OF PLANTS. 



gamosepalous calyx cut upon the margin into a variable number 1 of 

 unequal teeth, primitively imbricated. 2 The stamens are arranged 

 in several concentric circles. They are free, each consisting of an 

 almost sessile erect anther of an angular form surmounted by an 

 obtuse prolongation of the connective. The two adnate lateral cells 

 open upon the side by two longitudinal clefts. 3 In the female flower 

 (figs. 09, 70) the calyx is nearly the same, and surrounds the base of 

 a superior gynscceum formed of a verticil of from twenty to thirty 

 carpels surrounding a central axile 4 column. Each of them is com- 

 posed of a one-celled ovary, attenuated above into a narrow style 5 

 stigmatiferous above and within. Tn the interior angle of the ovary 

 is a placenta supporting an ascending ovule, anatropous at first, then 

 pseudo-campylotropous, 6 with the micropyle looking downwards and 

 outwards. 7 The fruit is almost spherical, formed of a great number 

 of follicles which surround the central columella, from which, they 

 are detached sooner or later. Each opens longitudinally according 

 to the mesial line of its dorsal lobe, to let a pseudo-campylotropal 

 seed escape, provided, like the ovule, with a fleshy aril occupy- 

 ing its lower extremity, 8 and containing under its coats a for- 

 nicate peripheral embryo with conical inferior dorsal radicle, and 

 narrow accumbent cotyledons. The embryo surrounds a more or less 

 abundant farinaceous albumen. 9 G. ramulosus is an erect ramified 

 glabrous shrub, with alternate leaves slightly fleshy, linear, sub- 

 cylindrical, subulate, articulate at the base, and accompanied by two 

 small lateral stipules. The flowers are axillary, solitary, peduncu- 

 late, accompanied by two lateral bractlets. 



1 There are generally from six to eight. 5 It is first incurved ahove except at its 



2 In the young bud the narrowest are interior extreme apex, pointed and slightly reflexed 

 and partly covered by the larger. (fig s - 69, 70). 



3 In this plant, as in several others of the same 6 See, for the singular organization of this 

 genus, the lines of dehiscence of the two neigh- ovule and the seed which succeeds it, Adansonla, 

 bouring anthers touch each other ; and when they x. 157. 



open, the masses of pollen which belong to the 7 Its lower extremity bears already an arillate 



two different anthers often stick to each other, swelling (fig. 70). 



and are detached thus under the form of a 8 The arillate pi-oduction occupies at the same 



bilobate body. time the place of the micropyle and that of the 



4 Here the apex of this column is scarcely hilum ; it even extends in certain species to the 

 prominent at the centre of the styles a' the adult periphery of the funicle. 



age. When the young buds are examined, it is 9 In certain species it is rather fleshy and less 



seen that the receptacle has the form of a thick thick. The embryo is often coloured a pale 



cone, the summit surpassing all the young carpels green, 

 ranged in a circle round the base. 



