296 



NATURAL HISTORY OF PLANTS. 



supports one, two or more frequently an indefinite number of 

 ascendent anatropous ovules, with interior and inferior micropyle. 1 

 The fruit (fig. 341) is an almost globular, ovoid, oblong capsule, or 

 in certain Wbrmskioldidj narrow, much elongated, siliquiform and 



Turnera uhnifolia. 



Fig. 340. 

 Flower. 



Fig. 341. 

 Dehiscent fruit. 



Fig. 342. 

 Seed (f ). 



torulose. Its three valves bear on the middle of their internal face 

 a very variable number of seeds (fig. 342), provided with a membra- 

 nous aril, 2 the coats 3 covering a fleshy albumen, and an almost cylin- 

 drical axile embryo, with plano-convex cotyledons. About seventy- 

 five species 4 of the genus are known. They are herbaceous, suffru- 

 tescent, or frutescent plants, glabrous or covered with hairs, and 

 their habit and foliage are very variable. The leaves are alternate, 

 sessile or petiolate, simple, entire, dentate, or pinnatifid. Their 

 petiole is accompanied at the base by two lateral stipules, often small, 

 sometimes wanting, and the base of their limb sometimes bears two 

 lateral glands. Their flowers are axillary, solitary, or more rarely 

 united in racemes or cymes, sometimes in capitula [Cephalacis), and 

 they are often connate for a variable distance with the petiole of 

 their axile leaf. Turnera is principally American, more rarely found 

 in tropical and southern Africa ; WbrmsMoldia is entirely of the 

 latter regions. 



1 When they are numerous they are ranged 

 in two rows for each placenta ; they have two 

 envelopes, and their umbilical region already 

 presents a slight swelling in the form of a pad, 

 the first rudiment of the aril. 



3 This has most generally the forrn of a small 

 erect leaf, almost independent of the seed, or 

 partly enveloping it at its hasc like a sort of 

 cornet. We have seen it springing from the 

 umbilicus. 



3 The testa is crustaccous, or in general pretty 

 regularly fovcatc. 



4 II. B. K., Nov. Gen. et Spec, vi. 127.— 

 A. S. H., Fl. Bras. Mer., ii. 212, t. 119-121. 

 — Ttjl., in Ann. Soc. Nat., ser. 5, ix. 322-324 

 (Wormskioldia). — Guillem. & Peer., Fl. Sen. 

 Tent.,], t. 11 (Wormskioldia). — Haet. &Sokd., 

 Fl. Cap., ii. 599.— Haev., Thes. Cap., t. 140. — 

 Hook., Icon., t. 522. — Kl., in Pet. Peise. Moss., 

 Pot., 146, t. 26 {Wormskioldia). — Geiseb., Fl. 

 Brit. W.-lnd., 297.— Walp., Rep., ii. 228, 230; 

 v. 782 ; Ann., ii. 658. 



