SAPIXDACE^. i-i'o 



VI. MELIANTHE^. 



69. Melianthus T. — Flowers hermaphrodite irregular ; receptacle 

 very unequally concave, posteriorly produced to a spur. Sepals 5, 

 very unequal ; the posterior least of all, inserted far from the rest ; 

 prtefloration imbricate. Petals 5 or 4 (the anterior 1, small or defi- 

 cient], subperigynously inserted at margin of receptacle, long-clawed 

 narrow rather fleshy and oftener tomentose, near an thesis not con- 

 tiguous. Stamens 4 (the fifth posterior deficient), 2-dynamous ; 

 filaments interior to disk lining the cavity of the receptacle and pos- 

 teriorly in-oduced to a 2-plicate crest, dcclinate ; 2 anterior, finally 

 shorter ; the posterior sometimes connate at base by means of a 

 transverse band ; anthers infcrorse, 2-rimose. Germen oblong, 4- 

 lobed ; cells 4, of which 2 are lateral ; style central incurved, stig- 

 matose at apex, shortly 4-dentate. Ovules in each cell 2-4, in- 

 serted in 2 series in the internal angle ascendent ; micropyle ex- 

 trorsely inferior. Capsule papyraceous, 4-lobed ; cells 4, by abortion 

 1-spermous, dehiscing inwardly at apex ; seeds subglobose exaril- 

 latc ; testa nitid orustaceous ; albumen copious fleshy or horny; 

 cotyledons of small (green) embryo ovately linear ; radicle obtuse 

 incrassate at apex. — Glabrous shrubs, glaucous or canescent (strong 

 scented) ; leaves alternate imparipinnatc ; leaflets decurrent uuequi- 

 lateral dentate ; stipules lateral or intra-axillary, free {DqAerisma) 

 or connate ; flowers in axillary or terminal racemes, bracteate ; 

 pedicels short bracteolate. {South Africa.) See p. 3G9. 



70. Bersama Fresen.' — Flowers irregular licrmaphrodite or poly- 

 gamo-dioecioiis ; sepals 5, unequal; the 3 superior subtree or con- 

 nate at base, imbricate ; the 2 anterior much more or nearly quite 

 connate,^ valvate. Petals 5, alternate, imbricate, subequal or un- 

 equal'^; the anterior hirger; claws bare or incrassately glanduloso 

 within to apex. Stamens 4, 5, alternipetalous, interior to semihmar 

 posterior or sub-complete disk ; filaments all {Eubersuma ' ) at base 

 1-adelphous, or the anterior only {Natalia-') connate; anthers introrse, 



' Mtia. Senhnb. ii. 280, t. 17.— En-dl. Geii. n. fig. 24-28. 



4572 {Ampcli'i. Di(b.).—B. H. 6V«. 412, n. 7(1. * Hochst. Fhm (1841), 66;i.— Pl. he. c!f. 



- " Lacinia nntira apice 2-fida" (Endl.). fi^.21-23; Hook. Icon. t.7S0. — Uha:iaiiu.i E. JIky. 



' Thick, sericeous, white. Herb. Diiyr. 

 * Bersama Pl. Trai.s. Liiiii. Soc. xx. 417, t. 20, 



VOL. V. ?) I 



