MELIACK-TS. 485 



prccfloration ; the aestivation of the petals, their independence or 

 uuiou Avith the tnbe of the androceum ; the absolute number of the 

 stamens, the form and proportions of the disk (which may be totally 

 wanting) ; the nature of the pericarp, the dimensions of the aril 

 (whose existence is not constant), and the configuration of the 

 cotyledons. The last of these characters serves to distinguish the 

 genera, as wo have seen ; the fii-st three are employed to separate the 

 tribes or series whose distinctive characteristics are summed up in 

 the following manner : — 



I. Melie,e. — Stamens monadelphous, usually united in a tube for 

 a considerable length. Free ovary with one or several biovulate 

 cells. Fruits dry or fleshy, with seeds destitute of wings, fleshy 

 albumen, usually of little thickness* Embryo fleshy, with foliaceous 

 or plano-convex cotyledons. — Trees or shrubs," simple or compound, 

 3-foliolate, compound or decompound-pinnate, leaves generally 

 entire, very rarely dentate or serrate. — 6 genera. 



II. Trichilieje. — Stamens monadelphous (rarely almost free), 

 tube independent and united externally to the petals. Anthers 

 exserted [EiitrichlUece) or enclosed in the tube. Ovary free or very 

 rarely adherent by its base to the concavity of the receptacle. Disk 

 wanting, or short, or due to a simple thickening of the foot or base 

 of the ovary, or high, tubular (^Epicharidece). Seeds without wings, 

 cxalbuminous. Embryo with thick, plano-convex, fleshy cotyledons, 

 sometimes conferruminatc. Ovary Avith several I-2-ovulate cells. 

 Fruit dry or fleshy. — Trees or shrubs, with pinnate leaves, leaflets 

 nearly always entire. Ovary with several 1-2-ovulate cells. Fruit 

 dry or fleshy. — 1 7 genera. 



III. SwiETENiE.'E. — Stamens monadelphous, in number double 

 that of the petals. Ovary cells pluriovulate. Fruit capsular, loculi- 

 cidal or oftener septlfragal. Seeds generally winged with or without 

 albumen. — Trees, usually high, with compound pinnate leaves. — 

 6 genera. 



IV. Cedrei.e.t;.'' — Stamens free, in number 0(|ual to or double 

 the petals. Filaments inserted und(T a thick hypogynous disk. 



' Reduced to a simple membrane in certain Eiimn. 86, Fam. ICO. — Cedrelacen: A. Jirss. 



Mdia and in the Oceanian Quivii-ia of the Mtlinc. 9.5. — Lixdl. Intrud. ed. 2, 10,'! ; Veij. 



section Vanco. KiiKjJ. 461, Ord. 172. — Enul. Osn. 1053, Ord. 



■ Except in Xariffaiitiri and Munroiiia. 220. — Ac. Thcor. Si/sl. Plant, 225. 



' Ccdi-elca R. Bb. J''liiid. I'vy. 01.— Au. Bii. 



