294 



NATURAL HISTORY OF PLANTS. 



cells are biovulate, with or without a false partition between the two 

 ovules of the same cell. 



Gynochthodes, of the Indian Archipelago, has also the same 

 gynsecium, without the false partition between the two ovules in those 

 named Tetralopha, The flowers are in axillary cymes, or in sessile 

 or shortly pedunculate glomerules; they are polygamous or her- 

 maphrodite and closely resembling those of the Imantina section of 

 the genus Morinda. 



Gruchshanksia (fig. 277, 278) is included in this series because its 

 ovarian organization is fundamentally that of Morinda, and because 



Cruchshauksia fiava. 



Fig. 277. Flower (f). 



Fig. 278. Long. sect, of base of flower. 



in each of its two cells there are two ascending ovules, with micropyle 

 exterior and inferior. But the habit is very different, and the placenta, 

 which bears one ovule on the right and another on the left, has 

 between them an inconsiderable prominence dividing the cell into 

 two halves only at the internal angle. The corolla is valvate like 

 that of Morinda ; the stamens enclosed are inserted at the throat, 

 and the fruit is dry, tardily dehiscent, as said, in four valves. In 

 nearly all the species, the gamosepalous calyx assumes a large 

 development, and becomes foliaceous and membranous, reticulate- 

 veined, except in G. glacialis, of which a genus Greopolus has been 

 made. They are herbaceous or subshrubby plants from the cold and 

 etmperate regions of Chili ; the flowers arc in terminal cymes 



