OGHNACEJE. 



365 



Ouratea decora. 



the receptacle elongates more or less into a column or gynophore, 

 the five alternipetalous carpels being arranged in a verticil on the 

 summit. Each carpel is composed of a unilocular ovary, surmounted 

 by a style more or less gynobasic' uniting with 

 the neighbouring styles, so as to form with them 

 a conical tube, 2 stigraatiferous at apex, simple 

 or scarcely denticulate. In the internal angle, 

 towards the base, is inserted an ascending ana- 

 tropous ovule, with micropyle looking down- 

 wards and outwards. 3 After fertilization the 

 ovaries become independent drupes, grouped 

 towards the summit of the thickened, often 

 fleshy, coloured, 4 receptacle, accompanied at the 

 base by the persistent calyx. In each not 

 very thick stone 5 is seen an ascending seed, the 

 coats covering a fleshy exalbuminous embryo, 

 with plano-convex cotyledons 6 and short in- 

 ferior radicle. 7 There are some hundred spe- 

 cies 8 of Ouratea ; they inhabit all tropical 

 regions, but are especially numerous in Ame- 

 rica. They are glabrous trees or shrubs, with 

 alternate persistent simple leaves, often coriaceous, generally finely 

 cut on the edges like the teeth of a saw, with numerous secondary 

 parallel nerves. They are accompanied by two free or connate 

 axillary stipules. The flowers are united in terminal or axillary 

 racemes generally ramified, more rarely simple or umbelliferous, 



Fig. 379. 



Gynaeceum and 



stamen (y ). 



1 In reality each style is detached from the 

 internal angle of the ovary more or less near the 

 base, creeping from without inwardly, and from 

 below upwards upon the receptacle, against 

 which it is closely applied and proceeding to 

 join the other styles, with which it unites by 

 the edges to form a common tube from the 

 summit of the receptacle. The same arrange- 

 ment is pretty clearly seen in several Ochnas. 



2 This tube is often traversed by spiral 

 flutings corresponding to the edges, by which 

 the five styles unite. 



3 With double coat. 



4 Generally dark purple ; the pericarps be- 

 come nearly black at maturity. 



5 It is often of the consistence of parchment. 

 The mesocarp is sometimes quite membranous. 



6 In some species they are pink, lighter or 

 darker upon the edges. 



7 Sometimes longer than the cotyledons, 

 conical at the summit; sometimes, on the con- 

 trary, truncate, and shorter than the cotyledons. 



8 H. B., PI. Maum., ii. 21, t. 74.— H. B. K., 

 Nov. Gen. et Spec, vi. 13 {Gomphia). — A. S. H., 

 PI. Rem. du Bre's., 90, t. 9 ; PI. Us., t. 38 ; Fl. 

 Bras. Mer., i. 60, t. 12, 13 {Gomphia). — Pohl., 

 PI. Bras., t. 178-185 {Gomphia).— Velloz., ' 

 Fl. Flum., v. t. 89-94 {Ochna).— Hook., Icon., 

 t. 712 {Gomphia). — Pal. Beauv., Fl. Ow. et 

 Ben.,t. 71, 72 {Gomphia).— Oliv., Fl. Prop. 

 Aft., i. 319 {Gomphia).— H. Bn. ; in Adan- 

 sonia, ix. 75 {Gomphia). — Tr. & Tl., in Ann. 

 Soc. Nat., ser. 4, xviii. 273 {Gomphia). — Bot. 

 Mag., t. 5262.— Walp., Rep., i. 526 ; v. 399 ; 

 Ann., i. 181; ii. 260; iv. 421; vii. 513 

 {Gomphia). 



