50 NATURAL HIST0J7Y OF PLANTS'. 



we propose this additiou, we much reduce the number of other genera 

 and even that of the tribes. Uumndea and Sarcof/ieea, better known, 

 and made sections of the genus Iluffonia, serve as a connection between 

 Hugoniece and Ixonanthae^ hence made one ; and Hcbcpetaliim itself, 

 connected to the old Hugonias by means of oceanic species, disappear 

 from the group Ergthroxglcce. On the other hand we have united 

 Phgllocosmus to Ochthocosmus ; and in the scries Linccc we have, 

 after the example of some authors, ancient and modern, attached to 

 Limim as sub-genera, Reinioardtia^ Cathartolimim^ and Radiola, 

 tlius reducing the total number of genera in Linacece to eight, sub- 

 divided into four series, whose general characters are as follow : 



1. LiNEiE. — Corolla contorted and fugacious. Two verticels of 

 stamens, only one of which is fertile, with alternate pieces. Fruit 

 capsular, septicidal, or dry, indehiscent, monospermous. Herbaceous 

 or suffrutescent plants. — 2 genera. 



2. HuGONiE^. — Corolla contorted or imbricated. Two or more 

 verticels of stamens, all fertile, hypogynous (Eukngom'e(v), or slightly 

 perigynous (Ixonanthece). Fruit drupaceous, with several stones. 

 Trees or shi-ubs, sometimes climbing and often provided with hooks, 

 leaves alternate with lateral stipules or none. — 3 genera. 



3. ERYTHRoxYLEiE. — CoroUa contorted or imbricated, with petals 

 lined inside with a well developed prominent rib, or oftener with 

 a superior bilobed appendage. Two verticels of stamens all fertile. 

 Ovary plurilocular, almost always with only one fertile cell. Fruit 

 drupaceous, with mesocarp often thin, and one stone uni- or pluri- 

 locular. Shrubs with alternate or opposite leaves, with iutra-axillary 

 or interpetiolar stipules. — 2 genera. 



4. HouMiRiE^. — Corolla contorted or imbricated, with fi'ee petals, 

 nou-appendiculate. Stamens lO-oo , all fertile or partly sterile; 

 anthers with connective often thick, pyramidal, or conical, with 

 cells often but little developed at the base. Disk hypogynous of 

 varied form. Ovary with several fruitful cells. Fruit di'upaceous, 

 with plurilocular stone very thick. Trees and shrubs with alternate 

 exstipulate leaves. — 1 genus. 



Thus limited, this family contains about a hundred and seventy- 

 five species, of which more than eighty belong to iheLinece series, and 

 some fifty to Enjthroxijlecv. The Houmiriccc, containing gome twenty 

 species, would be entirely American, if one had not been recently 



