270 NATURAL HISTORY OF PLANTS. 



base ; anthers elongate-linear, inwardly adhering to grooves of style, 

 dorsally inserted slightly above the base ; cells submarginal ad- 

 nate linear, longitudinally rimose. Germen sessile, apex tapering 

 in style, 2-locular ; one cell sterile; other 1 -ovulate; ovule pen- 

 dulous from long obcluvate funicle, subcampylotropous, descending ; 

 micropyle introrse superior ; style long conical, longitudinally 5-10- 

 sulcate; apex stigmatiferous minutely 2-denticulate. Fruit " ovate- 

 subturbinate, 10-sulcate, long acuminate coriaceous-spongy, 1-locular, 

 indehiscent. Seed pendulous exalbuminous ; testa nearly disap- 

 pearing; cotyledons wide thick fleshy; radicle straight superior 

 short ; plumule long evolute." — A glabrous tree ; leaves alternate ; 

 limb very unequal, vernation involute, glabrous coriaceous, when 

 young marginate with exserted subclavate denticules, afterwards 

 deciduous ; flowers solitary terminal ; peduncle short thick ; bracts 

 2, long membranous involute for a long time, including long conical 

 bud [Central America). See p. 245. 



VI. MARCGBAVIEiE. 



24. Marcgravia Plum. — Flowers hermaphrodite, receptacle de- 

 pressed convex. Sepals usually 4 (?), connate at base, unequal short, 

 much imbricated. Petals 4, 5, connate in coriaceous deciduous calyx- 

 like mass, very short apex alone imbricated 2-5-dentate. Stamens 

 sometimes few, subdefinite in number and 1-seriate verticillate, usually 

 (12-40) ; filaments often connate at base, otherwise free ; anthers sub- 

 basifixed, introrsely 2-rimose. Germen superior, apex shortly conical 

 and usually obscurely radiated stigmatiferous ; cells 4-co , complete or 

 incomplete. Ovules oo, anatropous, descending or horizontal, inserted 

 on ramified-lamellate placenta. Fruit subglobose thick fleshy, inde- 

 hiscent or finally loculicidal at base. Seeds oo, oblong, exterior reticu- 

 lated ; embryo fleshy thick ; cotyledons often shorter than conical 

 radicle. — Epiphytal or scandent shrubs, more rarely arborescent; 

 leaves alternate heteromorphous ; on sterile branches, repent sessile 

 2-glandular at base, affixed to rocks or trees ; in free branches coria- 

 ceous exstipulate ; flowers in clusters, often umbelliferous terminal ; 

 inferior pedicellate often oblique on summit of pedicel ; bractlets 2, 

 inserted under flower, analogous to sepals ; superior flowers more or 

 less abortive, with sacciform bract, open without and below, longitu- 

 dinally adnate to pedicel, stipitate {Tropical America). See p. 246. 



