450 NATURAL HISTORY OF PLANTS. 



anthers short, 2-dymous. Germen free, shortly stipate hence eccen- 

 trically inserted a little above the base of the tube, somewhat 

 obliquely compressed, by abortion 1 Jocular ; style slender, at apex 

 stigmatose simple, generally not dilated. Ovules few (often 4), in- 

 serted 2-seriate]y on parietal placenta, ascending; micropyle extrorsely 

 inferior. Fruit capsular membranous, enclosed in receptacle, few- 

 seeded. Seeds 1-4, ascending ; testa coriaceous ; cotyledons of sub- 

 clavate embryo plano-convex, auriculate at base ; radicle inferior 

 rather thick. — Herbs or shrubs divaricately rimose ; leaves opposite, 

 linear or lanceolate, coriaceous rigid, often venose, sharp pointed ; 

 flowers spicate ; bracts sub-4 -seriate, imbricate, oftener 1-florous ; 

 bracteoles sometimes rigid, often inserted higher under the flower.^ 

 {Chili ■") 



3. Nessea Commers.^ — Flowers (nearly of Ly thrum) regular ; re- 

 ceptacle much shorter subcampanulate or obconical straight, externally 

 8-14-costate ; sepals 4-7, 3 -angular- valvate ; accessory teeth same in 

 number narrower. Petals 4-7 (of Lythrum). Stamens 8-14, inserted 

 2-seriately in receptacular tube ; filaments slender exserted ; anthers 

 introrse, various in form.^ Germen free, 2-6-locular ; style slender 

 flexuose exserted, at apex stigmatose capitate. Ovules in cells oo , 

 inserted on placenta in internal angle go -seriate. Fruit capsular, 

 enclosed in receptacle, loculicidally 2-6-valvate ; valves septiferous, 

 finally solute from placenta. Seeds oo ; testa coriaceous ; cotyledons 

 of exalbuminous embryo plano-convex. Other characters of Lythrum. 

 — Herbs or undershrubs; branches 4-gonal; leaves opposite or 3-nate; 

 entire ; flowers ^ in axils of leaves or bracts inserted in terminal 

 raceme solitary or oftener cymose ; peduncles sometimes more or 

 less highly 2-bracteolate.^ ( Warm America and Africa J) 



^ A genus scarcely distinguishable from ^ Either oblong or 2-dymous. " Pollen (ex 



Lythrum. H. Mohl, Ann. Sc. Nat. ser. 2, iii. 331) ellipsoid 



2 Spec. 3, 4. Coll. PI. Chil. t. 14 {Lythrum). 3-plicate, but in water spherical, 3-banded." 



Hook, and Arn. Bot. Mise i. 225, t. 3. — Pcepp. ^ Often yellow, sometimes purple or bluish. 



et Endl. Nov. Gen. et Sp. ii. 67, t. 193.— C. Gay, ^ Sect, in gen. 3 (B. H.) : 1. Decodon : stem 



Fl. Chil. ii. 369. — Walp. Hep. ii. 105 ; Ann. ii. herbaceous ; inflorescence corymbiform, oo -flo- 



540; iv. 689. rous; petals purple ; stsimerxa 10 (North Amer.). 



^ExJ. Gen. ZS2. — DC. Mem. Sac. Gen. iii. -p. — 2. Reimia : peduncles 1-florous; bracteoles 



ii. 74; Prodr. iii. 90. — Endl. Gen. n. 6147. — B. under calyx 2; petals yellow; stamens oftener 



H. Gen. 779, n. 12. — H. 'Q^. Payer Fam. Nat. 12; stem subshrubby {Amer. Trap. Jfr.).—Z. 



354. — Decodon Gmel. Syst. Veg. 677. — DC. Eunescea : peduncles 3-=o -florous, 2-bracteate at 



Prodr. iii. 90. — Heimia Link et Ott. Ic. PI. 63, base ; terminal 2-bracteolate ; stem herbaceous 



t. 28. — DC. AWr. iii. 89. — Sfach, Suit, a £uf on, or subshrubby; flowers purple or sometimes 



iv. 428.'«— Baker, Fl. Maurit. 100. — Chrysoliga bluish {Trap. Jfr. Malacca). 



W. (ex TiG.).— Gincria Sess. et M09. (ex DC), ' Spec. 10-12. Hook. Icon. t. 554.— Torr. Ft 



notJACQ. — To/y^ewwaE. MET.(exENDL.^oc.ci^.) New York, i. t. 28. — "Wight, Icon. t. 259.— 



