512 NATURAL IIISTORY OF PLANTS. 



erect, dilated stigmatiferous 3-lobed at apex ; ovules in each cell 



2, descendent, sometimes separated by false incomplete septa, campy - 

 lotropous ; micropyle extrorse, superior. Fruit drupaceous ; cocci 



3, 4, subglobose, drupaceous ; mesocarp thin ; putamen osseous, 

 sometimes 2-locellate by false oblique septa ; locelli superposed, 

 1-spermous. Seeds descendent from oblique funicle, uncinate-con- 

 duplicate; albumen fleshy; embryo uncinate-hypocrepiform ; coty- 

 ledons elongated, semiterete incumbent ; radicle superior, terete. — 

 Rather bitter unarmed small shrubs, glabrous or pubescent with hairs 

 affixed at middle ; leaves small, simple, entire, elongated, coriaceous, 

 epunctuate or at margin pellucid-punctulate ; articulate, exstipulate 

 at base ; flowers axillary, solitary or scantily cymose ; peduncle 

 more or less adnate to petiole ; pedicels articulate below flower 

 (Medit. Beg., North- West. Ins. Africa). See p. 421. 



XI. ZYGOPHYLLE^]. 



113. Zygophyllum L. — Flowers 4-5- merous; sepals imbricated, 

 deciduous or persistent. Petals shortly unguiculate ; pignoration 

 imbricated or contorted. Stamens 8-10, inserted round small glan- 

 dular angular or more rarely cupuliform disk, sometimes suboblique ; 

 filaments free, exserted, with squamule inserted inwardly above 

 base, sometimes wanting {Rcepera). Germen sessile or shortly 

 and thickly stipitate, 4, 5- or more rarely 2, 3-agonal ; cells same in 

 number as petals, placed before them ; ovules in each cell 2-x> , 

 2-seriate, descending; micropyle extrorse, superior; raphe more or 

 less prominent or partly free ; style angular, tapering, stigma- 

 tiferous, not thickened at apex. Fruit 2-5-agonal or 2-5-pterous, 

 subcapsular, scarcely dehiscent or with septicidal or loculicidal 

 dehiscence ; endocarp sometimes solute. Seeds l-x; ; testa crus- 

 taceous ; embryo scantily albuminous ; cotyledons oblong ; 

 radicle superior. — Undershrubs or small shrubs, often prostrate ; 

 branches terete or angular, sometimes spinescent ; leaves opposite, 

 2- or more rarely 1-foliolate; folioles opposite, flat, unsymmetrical 

 {Fabago, Bwpera), or more rarely terete {Agrophyllum) ; stipules 2, 

 lateral, often spinescent ; flowers situated nearly at axil of stipules 

 and lateral to them, 1 or 2, unequal in age {Asia, South Africa, 

 Australia, N. America.) See p. 422. 



