434 



NATURAL HISTORY OF PLANTS. 



Cuphea lanceolata. 



Fiar. 398. Floriferous branch. 



this tube bears six valvate sepals witb an equal number of accessory 

 teeth more or less developed. The six petals are nearly equal or 

 oftener unequal, the posterior being most developed ; they may even 

 be wanting. The andrcecium is generally formed of eleven stamens, 



of which six are super- 

 posed to the petals and 

 five to the sepals ; 

 the stamen constantly 

 wanting is that which 

 would correspond to 

 the sepal superposed 

 to the spur. The 

 gynaecium much re- 

 sembles that of the 

 Salicarias ; but its pos- 

 terior side bears at the 

 base a gland, more or 

 less developed, some- 

 times circular, which 

 projects into the cavity 

 of the spur. The two 

 cells of the ovary are 

 multiovulate, or rather 

 the posterior remains 

 sterile, and the ovules, 

 in number very vari- 

 able (from two to a 

 hundred), are ascending and anatropous. The placenta bearing 

 them may become partly free in consequence of the more or less 

 complete disappearance of the interlocular partition. The fruit is a 

 capsule. All the Cupheas known are natives of the warm regions of 

 the new world. Their leaves are opposite, verticillate or rarely 

 alternate, and the flowers, solitary or grouped in cymes, are axillary 

 or raised to the interval of the two opposite leaves situated above. 



In the following genera, the general organization of the flowers is 

 primarily nearly the same as in the preceding types ; but they are 

 separated artificially by the fruit, instead of remaining enclosed in 

 the receptacular tube, being finally partly exserted. It is so in 

 Antherylium, the flowers of which are otherwise very similar to 



Fig. 399. Flower with 

 petals nearly equal. 



Fig. 400. Flower with petals 

 very unequal. 



