MYRTACETE. 



315 



Their receptacle is 

 Its margin bears five 



Zeptospermum Jlavescem. 



generally hermaphrodite ^ and pentamerous 

 concave, obconical or nearly and widely open, 

 sepals, primarily imbricate,^ membranous, 

 and as many alternate petals, imbricate in 

 the bud. The latter are inserted outside the 

 margin of a glandular disk which lines the 

 cavity of the receptacle. The same is the 

 case with the stamens formed each of a short -^ 

 free filament, inflexed in the bud, and a 

 short bilocular introrse anther, dehiscing by 

 two longitudinal clefts, afterwards versatile. 

 They are indefinite in number, sometimes 

 few, and appear, at adult age, disposed in a 

 single series, though unequal.* The gynse- 

 cium is composed of an inferior ovary, im- 

 bedded at the bottom of a receptacular cavity ^ 

 united with it to a variable extent, above ^ 

 almost flat or slightly convex. It may have 

 five oppositipetalous cells, or less,^ or many 

 more,^ and it is surmounted by a style, the 

 stigmatiferous extremity of which is trun- 

 cate, or capitate, or peltate. In the internal 

 angle of each cell are found ovules ordinarily Fig. 290. Fioiiferous branch {\). 

 very numerous, more rarely indefinite in 



number. The mode of insertion is very variable. Sometimes they 

 are arranged in two series, on a slight placentary projection, and 

 sometimes in a circle on the margin of a peltate placenta, itself 

 attached to the internal angle by a short horizontal or oblique foot.^ 

 They are anatropous, rectilinear, or curved.^ The fruit (fig. 293), 

 the base of which is imbedded in the receptacular capsule, is a de- 

 pressed, loculicidal capsule, the seeds of which, linear, cuneiform or 

 angular, not unfrequently winged or ciliate, enclose a straight fleshy 



ibryo, with elongate cotyledons. Lejptosjpermum consists of small 



* The gynaecium is not unfrequently aborted. 



A character which soon disappears. 



Its base is often swollen and articulate as it 



\tq to the margin of the disk. 



Y With 30 or 35 stamens, for example, there 



often 4, 5, before each sepal and 1-3 before 



each petal. With 15, there will be frequently 



2 facing each petal. The connective often 



bears near its summit a dorsal gland found in 

 many of the neighbouring genera. 



^ It may bear glandular processes. 



^ Ordinarily 3 in the sect. Pericalymna. 



7 To 10 in Fabricia. 



s On the small value of these variations, see 

 Bull. Soc. Linn. Far. 56. 



3 The ovular coat is double. 



