422 



NATURAL HISTORY OF 1'LAXTS. 



tropous ovules are seen, with superior and exterior micropyle, tardily 

 separated from each other by an incomplete false oblique partition. 

 The fruit is a three-shelled drupe, whose rather thin mesocarp 

 covers three osseous stones, often divided by a false woody partition 

 (transverse or oblique, and complete or incomplete) into two super- 

 posed cells, each of which contains an obliquely descending seed, 

 folded upon itself in the shape of a horseshoe, the coats covering a 

 fleshy albumen. The axis is occupied by a curved hook-shaped em- 

 bryo, with narrow, elongated, semicylindrical, incumbent cotyledon, 

 and superior cylindrical radicle. The two species of Cneorum known 

 are shrubs, small in size, more or less bitter, unarmed, glabrous or 

 velvety, 1 with alternate, simple, entire leaves, articulate at base, not 

 punctuate, or only glandular towards the edges. The ilowers 2 are 

 axillary, solitary, or disposed in few-flowered cymes, with a peduncle 

 connate for a variable distance with the axile leaf and articulate 

 pedicels. They inhabit the Mediterranean region, and the isles on 

 the North- Western coast of Africa. 3 



XL ZYGOPHYLLUM SERIES (Beancapers). 



Zygophyllum* has nearly regular hermaphrodite flowers. If we take, 

 for example, those of Z. Fabayrf (figs. 497-502), an eastern species, 

 often cultivated in the garden in France, we see that the receptacle 

 is convex, bearing, first, five sepals, with quincuncial imbricated prse- 

 floration, and five alternate petals, with short claws 6 imbricated in a 

 variable way, or contorted in the bud. The stamens are ten in 

 number, 7 superposed five to the sepals, and five, a little shorter, to 

 the petals. They are composed of a free exserted filament internally, 



1 The hairs are attached hy the middle of 

 their length. 



2 Small, yellow. 



3 Bakel., Icon., t. 231. — Vent., Jird. de 

 Cels.,t. 77.— Duham., Arbr., i. 157, t. 60.— 

 J. Saim-Iiii,.. /'/. Fr., t. 5.— Webb, Phyt. 

 Canar., t. 0G. — GBEN. A (Joint., Ft. de Fr., i. 

 310. — W'aep., Ann., vii. 510. 



4 h., Gen., n. 530.— J., Gen., 296.— Lamk., 

 Diet., ii. Ill; Suppl.,ii. 621; III., t. 345.— 

 DC, Prodr., i. 705. — A. Juss., in Mem. Mus., 

 xii. 155, t. 15. — Si'.u'ii, Suit. a Buffon, ii. 306. 

 — Endl., Gen., n. 603G. — Paver, Organog.,68, 

 t. 14.— B. H., Gen., 266, n. 8.— H. Bk., in 



Adansonia, x. 313. — Fabago T., Inst., 258, t. 

 135. — Adans., Fam. des PI., ii. 507. — G-EBTN., 

 Fruct., ii. 144, t. 112. (This generic name 

 should, strictly speaking, have the preference.) — 

 Fagoniastrum Lipp. (ex Adans.). 



5 Z. Fabago L., Spec., 551.— DC, Prodr., 

 n. 3. — Fabago alala Mcencii (vulg. Faux- 

 Cdprier). 



6 They are here white, with the base of an 

 orange-red. This spot at the base is found 

 mure or less dark in most of the species which 

 often have the rest of the limb yellow. 



7 Their insertion upon the receptacle is very 

 slightly oblique. 



