76 



NATURAL HISTORY OF PLANTS. 



lateral and apparently axillary 1 racemes. Almost all the species are 



natives of South Africa ; some however are met with in tropical Africa, 



in Madagascar, in Arabia, and three or four even in Mexico and Texas." 



In a Lrreat number of the llermannias of South Africa the 



staminal filaments instead of enlarging in 



Sermannia [MaAernia) incisa. 

 i 



Fig. 114. Fig. 115. 



Flower (|). Flower, without 

 perianth. 



their upper part, present towards the middle 

 of their height a dilatation which is some- 

 times covered with papilla?. It is upon this 

 character that the genus Jlfa/iernia 3 (figs. 114, 

 115) has been founded, which is preserved 

 by the greater number of authors. We only 

 make it a section in the genus Hermannia, 

 including in that alone thirty frutescent 

 or suffrutescent J species. 



In Mclochic? (fig. 116) the general organi- 

 zation of the flower is the same as in Her- 

 mannia, but with two great differences : the carpels are superposed 

 to the stamens instead of being alternate with them ; and each of 

 them instead of an indefinite number of ovules, only contains two, 

 ascending, with exterior and inferior 6 micropyle. The styles more- 

 over are free, at least to a certain distance ; the staminodes of 

 variable form may be interposed to the fertile stamens, with 

 which they unite below ; and the embryo is straight instead of 

 being more or less curved. The calyx is sometimes membranous 

 and vesicular round the fruit. It is for this reason that a special 

 genus has been made under the name of Phi/sodium, 7 containing two 



1 They are often raised on the branches to a 

 level with a leaf, by the side of which they 

 become free. This arrangement is most ap- 

 parent in Melochia. The flowers are, therefore, 

 not really axillary. 



2 Cat., Diss., vi. 327, t. 177-182.— Jacq., 

 Sort. Schwnbr., t. 117, 129, 213, 215, 291, 

 292. — Wendl., Sert. Hanov., t. 4, 5, 10. — 

 Spach, Suit, a Buffon, iiii. 466. — A. Gray, 

 Gen. Ill, t. 135.— Hook., Icon., t. 597. — 

 Hary. ei Sond., Fl. Cap., i. 180.— Andr., Bot. 

 Repos., t. 161.— Garcke, in Bot. Zeit. (1864), 

 n.—Bot. Mag., t. 299, 304, 307. — Walp., 

 Ann., iii. 832 ; vii. 424. 



3 L., Mantiss., n. 1255.— DC., Prodr., 1, 496. 

 — Spacu, Suit, a Buffon, iii. 472. — Endl., Gen., 

 n. 5341.— 15. II., Gen., 223, n. 21— H. Bn., in 

 ddansonia, iii. 176. 



4 Cav., Diss., vi. t. 176, f. 1, 2 ; t. 177, f. 3 ; 

 t. 178, f. 1 ; t. 181, f . 2 ; t. 200, f. 1, 2.— Jacq., 

 Ilort. Schoenbr., t. 54, 201. — Andr., Bot. Repos., 

 t. 85.— Harv. et Sond., Fl. Cap., i. 207.— Bot. 

 Reg., t, 224.— .So/. Mag., t. 277, 353.— Walp., 

 Ann., vii. 426. 



6 L., Gen., n. 829.— J., Gen., 274.— Gjertn., 

 Fnict., ii. 153, t. 113.— Lame., Diet., iv. 81; 

 6uppl., iii. 653 j III. t. 571.— DC., Prodr.. . 

 490.— Arn., in Ann. Sc. Nat., ser. 2, ii. 235. — 

 Endl., Gen., n. 5337. — H. Bn., in Adansonia, 

 iii. 177; ix. 344; in Payer Fam. Nat., 289. — 

 B. H., Gen., 223, n. 23. 



6 They have a double tegument. 



' Presl, in Rel. Hani-., ii. 150, t. 72. — 

 Endl., Gen., n. 5339.— B. H., Gen., 223, n. 

 22. 



