XLIX. THYMELiEACE^ 



1. AQTJILAEIA SEEIES. 



Aquilariai (fig. 67-69), the name of which has been given to a 

 family long admitted as distinct, consists of plants with herma- 

 phrodite, regular and monoperianthous flowers. The floral receptacle ^ 



Aquilaria malaccensis. 



Fig. 67. Flower (|). Fig. 69. Long. sect, of fruit (f). Fig. 68. Long. sect, of flower. 



has the form of an obconical or nearly hemispherical sac, on the 

 margin of which are inserted five or six obtuse sepals, imbricate in 

 prefioration. More internally, from the throat of the receptacle 

 spring ^ ten or twelve stamens, perigynous like the sepals to which 

 five of them, somewhat longer, are superposed, whilst the five or six 

 others, belonging to another verticil, are alternate. Each is formed 

 of a filament, very short or almost nil, often long* enough for the 



1 Lamk. Diet. i. 49 ; Suppl. ii. 709 ; III. t. 

 356. — DC. Prodr. ii. 59. — Spach, Suit, a 

 Buffon, xiii. 289.— Tlrp. Diet. Sc. Nat. Atl. t. 

 248.— LiNDL. Veg. Kingd. 579, fig. 392.— Endl. 

 Gen.n. 2111.— H. ;Bn. Payer Fam. Nat. 332; 

 Adansonia, xi. fasc. 10. — Meissn. BC. Prodr. 

 xiv. 601. — Ophispermum Lour. Fl. Gochinch. 

 (ed. 1790), 280. — Agallochum Rumph. Eerb. Am- 

 boin. ii. 34, t. 10. 



2 This corresponds to what, in all descrip- 

 tions, is considered as the tube of the perianth. 

 It is lined with a very thin glandular layer, 

 covered with hairs ; and it is this disk which, 

 thickening at the throat, there separates into 



altemipetalous tongues described a little far- 

 ther on. 



3 Their course can be traced lower down on 

 the internal face of the receptacle in the form 

 of a slightly prominent thread. Their pre- 

 sence here is owing to the late development of 

 the receptacular cup which, at first, is scarcely 

 concave and afterwards enlarges from top to 

 bottom as it becomes more pronounced. 



^ In some species it separates clearly a little 

 after fecundation, following a transverse line, a 

 little above the point where it becomes free. 

 Its upper portion generally begins to change 

 before this disarticulation. 



