242 NATURAL HISTORY OF PLANTS. 



stigmatic papillge. The cavity of tlie ovary is divided by narrow 

 parietal partitions into two very incomplete cells, to each, of which 

 correspond two ascending anatropous ovules, inserted near the base 

 and supported by a funicle of very variable length/ the dilated 

 summit of which forms an obturator to the exterior and inferior 

 micropyle (fig. 211). The fruit (fig. 207, 213), above which 

 persist the withered baselar folioles,^ forming a sort of cupule similar 

 to that of the Oak (whence the name Balanops ^), is an ovoid berry, 

 with thin coat, membranous endocarp, often not very distinct, the 

 two cells of which, more or less complete, enclose each one or two 

 nearly erect seeds. The latter, under their integuments, contain an 

 erect embryo, with short inferior radicle, thick cotyledons, nearly 

 elliptical, greenish, and surrounded by a thin, often membranous, 

 layer of fleshy albumen. Balanops consists of trees or shrubs, the 

 simple or oftener little ramified stems of which bear above leaves 

 almost sessile, simple, penninerved, coriaceous, entire or slightly 

 dentilate, alternate and sometimes collected at the end, presenting 

 the appearance of pairs or verticils. The male inflorescences and 

 the female flowers proceed from a scaly bud borne by the axes in the 

 interval of the leaves. Six or seven species of this genus are known, 

 all natives of New Caledonia. 



Y. ? LEITNERIA SEEIES. 



Leitneria* (fig. 214 — 216) has amentaceous and dioecious flowers. 

 The catkins bear a large number of alternate bracts, at first imbricate. 

 In the axil of each bract of the male catkins are found stamens, 

 varying in number from two or three to ten,^ the free and erect fila- 

 ments of which support each a bilocular introrse anther, dehiscing by 

 two longitudinal clefts. The stamens are quite naked or surrounded 

 at the base by some unequal bracts, sometimes united so as to form 

 a sort of small perianth. The same may be the case in the female 

 catkins, where these bracts (?) ordinarily attain even a greater 



1 In the same cell there are ordinarily one ^ jj^ ^j^ Adansonia^ x. 117, 337. 



shorter, straight, and another much longer, •» Chapm. FL S. Unit. St. 426.— C. DC. Prodr. 



often a little sinuous. xvi. sect. ii. 154.— Hook. f. Icon. n. ser. i. 33, 



2 Which gives it an external resemhlance to t. 1044. 



an acorn, though here the fruit is superior. It s Yqtj often there are half a dozen. It is 



is crowned with the remains of the style ; its ordinarily in the flowers at the summit that the 



colour is ordinarily that of a dried jujube. number may be reduced to two or three. 



