100 



NATURAL HISTORY OF PLANTS. 



this the insertion of the perianth is somewhat perigynous. The calyx 

 is ganiosepalous with the edges cut straight, or more often divided into 

 from three to five obtuse unequal lobes. The corolla is malvaceous 

 with five very deep divisions, contorted in prsefloration. Its lower 

 part is in one single piece, and united thus Far with the base of the 

 androceum. This is formed of an indefinite number of stamens, with 

 filaments free in the greater portion of their length, but more or less 

 distinctly united towards the base into five bundles. The anthers are 



,j+- 



^■wfessw' 



Fig. 167. 



Flower (§). 



one-celled, more or less fornicate, with lateral 1 dehiscence. The 

 gynaBceum is formed of an ovary with slightly inferior base, sur- 

 mounted by a style whose stigmatiferous apex is divided into five 

 lobes or very short branches. They correspond to the ovary cells 

 superposed to the petals and containing in their inner angle a 

 placenta bearing anatropous ovules arranged in several series. The 

 fruit is a capsule, generally woody and loculicidal, separating into five 

 valves to allow numerous seeds to escape plunged into a thick 2 

 wool, and enclosing under their coats a thick fleshy embryo 



1 The pollen is formed of ovoidal grains with 

 three folds. In the water they become spherical, 

 with three bands. Their external membrane is 

 transparent and punctate in B. pubescens. It 



bears not very numerous pores, surrounded by a 

 halo. (II. Mohl, in Ann. Sc. Nat., ser. 2, iii. 

 335). 



'-' " Lana endocarpii involuta" 



