GELASTRACE.E. 51 



within. Ovules (nearly of Buxus) in cells 2, descending; micro- 

 pyle introrsely superior; each cell finally divided, by a spurious 

 dissepiment, into 2 1 -ovulate cellules. Fruit suberose, indehiscent, 

 finally dry subligneous, 2-6-locellate ; cells 1-spermous. Seeds 

 smooth ; testa rather thick ; hilum broad ; albumen fleshy ; radicle 

 of subequal embryo superior terete. — Glabrous trees ; leaves 

 alternate petiolate exstipulate, entire coriaceous penninerved, 

 sub-3-plinerved at base; flowers^ in axillary spikes; spikes 1- 

 or 2-sexual ; male flowers inferior, 1-bracteolate; female 1- or 

 pluribracteate. {South Western America^^) 



yill. GEISSOLOMEiE. 



44. Geissoloma Lindl. — Flowers hermaphrodite regular apeta- 

 lous ; sepals 4, connate at base, ovate mucronate, alternately 

 imbricate, persistent. Stamens 8, 2 -seriate ; filaments inserted at 

 base of calyx, otherwise free, subulate ; oppositipetalous longer ; 

 anthers short ovate versatile, introrsely 2-rimose. Germen free, 

 4-lobed; cells 4 (2 anterior), alternate with sepals, attenuate at 

 apex to as many free styles, approximating to one pyramidally 

 acuminate, longitudinally sulcate within and stigmatose under acute 

 apex, at first spirally twisted together ; ovules in cells 2, collaterally 

 descending; micropyle introrsely superior. Fruit capsular, 4- 

 locular, loculicidal ; seeds in cells solitary or 0, oblong ancipitally 

 compressed; testa very smooth nitid (dark), dilated at hilum to a 

 small (white) aril continuous with the top of the somewhat thickened 

 raphe and there attenuated and received in a short dorsal furrow of 

 the testa ; albumen fleshy ; radicle of straight axile embryo (in length 

 nearly that of the albumen) superior cylindrical ; cotyledons linear 

 fleshy. — A shrub ; branches 4-gonal ; leaves opposite, very shortly 

 petiolate ; stipules very minute glanduliform ; limb entire coriaceous 

 penninerved, somewhat thickened at margin ; flowers axillary 

 solitary, very shortly pedunculate, surrounded at base by 6-8 

 bracteoles, larger from the exterior to the interior and decussately 

 imbricate. {Cape of Good Hope,) See p. 19. 



1 Yellowish. 638.— K. Sym. PL ^quin. iv. 206.— Spreng. 



2 Spec. 3, 4. W. Spec. iv. 733 {Trophis).— Syst. iii. 906. 

 H. B. K. Nov. Gen. et Spec, vii, 172, t, 637, 



4—3 



I 



