ULMAGEJS. * 145 



sepals, in prcfloratioii alternately imbricate in the bud, and four 

 superposed stamens, inserted under a slightly developed rudiment 

 of the gynsBcium. Each of these is formed of a filament inflexed 

 and incurved in prefloration, afterwards elastically straightened 

 at the time of anthesis, and of a bilocular introrse anther dehiscing 

 by two longitudinal clefts. The calyx of the female is similar to 

 that of the male flower and surrounds ^ a free gyneecium, formed of a 

 unilocular ovary ^ surmounted by a style, soon divided into two 

 divergent, subulate branches, covered internally with stigmatic 

 papillge. Under the summit of the cell is inserted a descending 

 ovule, with micropyle directed upwards and outwards.^ The fruit 

 becomes a drupe with sarcocarp of little 

 thickness, especially along the faces of the '^"^ "^^^^' 



depressed putamen. It is surrounded by per- 

 sistent sepals, become fleshy and succulent, 

 packed closely together. The descending 

 seed encloses under its integuments a fleshy 

 albumen which surrounds a recurved embryo, 

 with oblong and fleshy cotyledons and incum- 

 bent radicle, at the summit directed upwards. 

 The Mulberries are trees and shrubs, with // 



milky or opal juice, inhabiting all the warm Fig. loi. Compound fruit. 

 regions of the globe. They have alternate, 



distichous, entire, dentate or lobed leaves, with the petiole accom- 

 panied by two lateral caducous stipules. The flowers are axillary. 

 The male inflorescence resembles a cylindrical or slightly com- 

 pressed catkin. But following their development, as we have 

 done,* the axis of these apparent spikes is found to be a blade 

 more or less elongate and flattened, bearing upon one part of 

 its surface only, a very large number of small cymes or glomerules, 

 whilst the remainder is bare. It is, therefore, a mixed inflores- 

 cence, and it is the same as what has been described as the female 

 spike or catkin. Of Mulberries a score of species ^ have been 

 described ; the number ought to be reduced to about half-a-dozen. 



^ Between it and the pistil axe seen, in early • Its coat is double, 



age, the stamens the development of which is •* Compt. Rend. Acad. Sc. Par. Hi. 19 ; Adan' 



generally soon arrested. sonia, loc. cit. 221, t. 8, fig. 9-11. 



« Dicarpellous and bilocular at first ; but one 5 l, Sp^c. (ed. 3), ii. 1398.— W. Spec. iv. p. i. 



of the two cells soon ceases to grow. 368.— Seb. Deacr. et Cult. des. Mur. 191. — Loud. 



VOL. VI. 10 



