180 NATURAL HISTORY OF PLANTS. 



very near that of the corolla, only being separated from it by a 

 narrow glandular cushion. The sepals may be slightly imbricated ; 

 and the petals, sometimes thick and coriaceous, may be but little cut, 

 or even entire at the summit, sometimes covered with silky hairs. 

 The stamens are sometimes muticous ; the number of the ovary 

 cells, often incomplete, may rise to three, four or five ; and each 

 one can only contain two ascending ovules, with exterior and in- 

 ferior micropyle. In the fruit, the wrinkles of the endocarp, which 

 is generally very hard, woody or bony, may become so deep as to 

 appear carved. The number of the cells contained in the stone 

 may be from two to five, generally monospermous, the fertile 

 seed being either ascending or descending, and the others aborting 

 early. Elaocarpus consists of trees or shrubs, hitherto only observed 

 in the warm regions of Asia, Oceania, and in the tropical islands 

 of eastern Africa. The leaves are alternate or rarely opposite, entire 

 or dentate, generally accompanied by two small lateral stipules. 1 

 The flowers are axillary or terminal, usually arranged in racemes, 

 and each placed in the axil of a bract, with two lateral bractlets. 

 Some sixty species are known. 2 



Beside Elaocarpas is found Crinodejidron, which only differs from 

 it essentially by the consistence of the capsular fruit. These two 

 genera represent the Eltfocarpea proper, in which the receptacle 

 displays, between the insertion of the androceum and that of the 

 perianth, a more or less considerable elongation, the surface being 

 furnished with a layer of glandular tissue of greater or lesser thick- 

 ness. Sloanea has given its name to another group, or subseries, 

 in which, on the contrary, the receptacle is not at all elevated 

 between the insertion of the corolla and the stamens ; or it takes the 

 form of a cushion or of a thick dome, in the infractuous parts of 

 which the stamens are inserted. Beside Vattea is placed, only 

 differing from it very slightly; it has thin three-lobed petals, 



1 Sometimes the limb is black punctuate in Tuecz., in Bull. Mosc. (1858), i. 235. — Benth., 

 its lower part. Fl. Austral., i. 280. — Seem., in Bonplandia, 



2 Cav., Icon., t. 501.— Wight & Aen., x. 154, 295; Fl. Vit., 27, t. 78.— A. Geat, 

 Brodr., i. 83. — Wight, III., t. 35; Icon., t. Anier. Expl. Exped., Bot., 202. — Ad. Be. & 

 46, 61-66, 205, 952.— Coll., Sort. Bip., t. 30. Gr., in Bull. Soc. Bot. de Fr., viii. 201 ; in 

 (Eriosfemon). — Hook. & Aen., Toy. Beech., Ann. Sc. Nat, ser. 5, i. 355.— Walp., Rep., 

 Bot., t. 21, 53.— Hook., Icon., t. 154, 155, 602. i. 363, 364; ii. 800; v. 120, 121; Ann., i. 112^ 

 — Raoul., Ch. de PI. Nouv.-Zel, t. 25.— Miq., 959; ii. 173; iv. 330; vii. 455. 



Fl. Ind.-Bat., i. p. ii. 307 ; Suppl., i. 406.— 



