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NATURAL HISTORY OF PLANTS. 



scarcely distinct from the preceding, but in which the anthers are ap- 

 pendiculate below, the leaves being simple or i-3-foliolate, alternate, 

 or opposite ; Ravenia (figs. 414, 415), with calyx formed of two 

 wide sepals and three small ones, imbricated. It has a corolla with 

 wide tube slightly elongated, two large fertile stamens, and five 

 unequal staminodes, a regular disk, and opposite leaves 1-3-foliolate ; 

 finally Monnieria, consisting of herbaceous species with alternate 

 3-foliolate leaves, unequal sepals, subbilabiate corolla, with five 

 stamens, only two of which are fertile, and a gynseceum, accom- 

 panied by a unilateral scale, alone rejiresenting the disk. 



III. DIOSMA SEKIES. 



This series, entirely formed of plants from South Africa, derives 

 its name from the genus Diosma, which alone represented it formerly. 



Coleonema album. 



Fig. 417. 

 Flower (f). 



Fig. 416. 

 Floriferous branch. 



Fig. 418. 

 Long. sect, of flower. 



It is at present divided into several secondary genera, among which 

 the true Diosma can no longer be considered as a complete type, 

 inasmuch as their androceum is reduced to a single verticil. Other 

 genera, on the contrary, separated from the old genus Diosma, such 



