286 



XATTliAL lriSTOliY OF PLANTS. 



VI. HOMALIUM SERIES. 



The Acomas 1 (figs. 322-325) have regular hermaphrodite flowers. 

 The receptacle has the form of a short cornet or a turbinate sac, in 

 the concavity of which is inserted the lower part of the gynseceum ; 

 after which the receptacle widens into a shallow cup, bearing a calyx 

 or corolla upon the edges without or within. The leaves of both are 



Homaliu m racem osit m . 



Fig. 323. 

 Longitudinal section of flower. 



variable in number, generally from five to eight. The sepals are 

 valvate or slightly imbricated. The corolla is formed of a like number 

 of alternate petals, often analogous to the sepals in colour and con- 

 sistence, but more developed, imbricated, or contorted in praefloration. 

 In certain species, such as IJ. panicvlatum, hit cgri folium, napaulense, 

 become types of the genus Blackwettia? there is in front of each 

 petal a stamen, like it also inserted on the throat of the receptacle, and 

 formed of a free filament and a 2-celled extrorse anther dehiscing by 

 two longitudinal clefts. In H. racemosum, on the contrary, and in a 

 great many neighbouring species, there are two stamens or a bundle 

 formed of a variable number of these organs in front of each petal. 3 

 In all the species the alternipetalous glands are interposed to bundles 

 of stamens, on a level with which they are inserted. The partly in- 



1 Somaliwm Jacq., Stirp. Amer. (1763), 173, 

 t. 183, fig. 72.— J., Gen., 343, 452.— Lamk., 

 Diet., i. 32 ; Suppl., i. 112 ; III., t. 483.— DC, 

 Prodr., ii. 53. — Endl., Gen., n. 5086.- -Pater, 

 Fam. Nat., 83. — Benth., in Journ. Linn. Soc., 

 iv. 83.— B. H., Gen., 800, n. 15 (incl. : Acoma 

 Adans., Astranthns Lour., BlaeTcwellia J., 

 Cordylanthus Bl., Lagunczia Scop., Myrian- 

 theia Dup.-Th., Napimoga Aubl., Nisa 

 Noronh. (!), Pytliagorea Lour., Racoubea 

 Aubl., Tatlia Scop., Vermonlea Scop.). 



2 CoMM., ex J., Gen., 343. — Lamk., Diet., i. 



T 



428 ; Suppl., i. . . . j Til., t. 412.— DC, Prodr., 

 ii. 54. — Endl., Gen., n. 5087. — Pater, Fam. 

 Nat., 83. — Astranthns Lour., Fl. Cocliinch., 

 221. — Nisa Noronh., ex Dup.-Th., Nov. Gen. 

 Madag.,M. — DC, Prodr., ii. 55. — Endl., Gen., 

 n. 5091.— Pater, Fam. Nat., 82. 



3 Character of a section which formerly con- 

 stituted the genus Racoubea (Aubl., Guian. 

 (1775), i. 236; — Napimoga Aubl., loc. cit., 

 592, t, 237 ; Myriantheia Dup.-Tn., Gen. 

 Nov. Madag., 21 j — Endl., Gen., n. 5090 j — 

 Cordylanthus Bl., Mus. Lngd.-Bat., ii, 27, t. 3). 



