CELASTRACE^. 7 



Brazilian shrub, is distinguished from Perrottetia^ whose slender 

 inflorescence it has, only by the configuration of its dry, long, and 

 siliquiform fruit ; for its two cells, if frequently uniovulate, may 

 also here and there contain two ascending ovules.^ Plenekia, Bra- 

 zilian trees, with leaves of the elder or poplar, have also an elongated, 

 dry fruit; it is a samara, whose vertical and membranous wing 

 recalls that of Ventilago. It encloses one or two cylindrical, elon- 

 gated, exarillate seeds. The flower is that of a Celastrus^ with two 

 ovarian biovulate cells. In Triptei^ygium, a bush of the island of 

 Formosa, all is also like a Celastrus^ with three biovulate ovarian 

 cells ; but the indehiscent and trigonal fruit is said to be furnished 

 with three large membranous wings, and encloses only one seed with 

 a small albuminous embryo. 



Texas and New Mexico possess three generic types with alternate 

 leaves, but exceptional on various grounds. One of them is Mor- 

 tonia^ a genus formed of two or three bushes, with numerous 

 small coriaceous persistent leaves, and with small flowers, whose 

 receptacle is very concave, like that of many Rharnnacece. The 

 pentamerous perianth and androecium are there very strongly peri- 

 gynous, and the inferior ovary has five oppositipetalous, incomplete, 

 and biovulate cells. The fruit, imbedded in the concave receptacle, is 

 dry and indehiscent. Glossopetalorij a. prickly bush, with small 

 leaves, the upper ones reduced to scales, has a small cupuliform 

 receptacle, five sepals, five elongated tongue-shaped petals, and ten 

 stamens disposed in two verticils round a disk, the centre of which 

 is occupied by a unilocular and biovulate ovary. Its fruit is 

 elongated, striate, dry, with one or two arillate and ascending seeds. 

 Canotia^ a thorny, almost leafless shrub, has also pentamerous, 

 but isostemonous flowers, and a gyngeoium with five-celled ovary and 

 pluriovulate cells. Its fruit is an elongated apiculate loculicidal 

 capsule, with five bifid valves at the summit. Each encloses one 

 ascending, albuminous seed, prolonged inferiorly to a narrow and 

 elongated membranous wing. 



^ Siphonodon Gkiff, Javan and Austra- uniovulate cells (which have been regarded as 



lian plants, abnormal in this group, cannot five multiovulate cells, divided into uniovulate 



however, as it appears, be far removed from the compartments by numerous false partitions), 



preceding genera, from which they are imme- and by the axis of their gyneecium presenting a 



diately distinguished by their deep receptacular a deep depression from the centre of which 



cup enclosing an ovary formed of numerous rises a styliform column almost gynobasic. 



