connected with the Flora of Guiana. 231 



diversity of form in the fruit, arising only during its growth from the state of 

 ovary, is rather a generic than an ordinal distinction. 



Besides this difference in the fruit, Sti/rax and Strigilia have a definite 

 number of stamens, but their insertion and connexion at the base into a sliort 

 tube is the same as in Symplocos and Halesiu. 



Tlie character oï Halesiaceœ derived from the winged fruit loses what little 

 importance might have been given to it, when it is considered that it is not 

 the "nut" itself that is winged, but merely the calyx inclosing it, which in its 

 development becomes fleshy in Si/mplocos, and herbaceous and winged in 

 Halesla, — a good generic, but no ordinal distinction. 



Lindley, in the second edition of his Natural System, besides the above 

 genera, enumerates under Styraceœ the five following: DlcUdanthtra, Mart., 

 Paralea, Aubl., Titraria, Molin., Morelosia, Llave, and Decadia, Lour. Of 

 these, DlcUdanthera is the only one which is satisfactorily described, and 

 Martius is evidently right in ascribing it to Ebenacew ; but the separate inser- 

 tion of the anthers in the throat of the corolla remove it from tlie tribe or 

 order of Styraceœ : Paralea and Decadia appear also, as far as can be judged 

 from the very imperfect descriptions, to be nearer the true Ebenacew than to 

 Styraceœ: Morelosia must be very different, and may very likely belong to 

 Convolvulaceœ, where Don places it. 



With respect to the affinities of Styraceœ as an order, their alliance with 

 Ebenaceœ amongst Monopetalœ, and witli Humiriacecc in the first instance, and 

 in the next place with Meliacece, and perhaps with Aurantiaceœ and Olacineœ 

 amongst Polypetalœ, has been already pointed out, and have only been con- 

 firmed, as far as my observations have led me ; but my object not being to 

 give a monograph of the order, I now merely add the characters which I 

 should propose for such of the true Symploci as I am acquainted with. 



SvMPLOCOs. Linn. 



Calyx basi ovario adhserens, limbo 5-fido, laciniis latis, eestivatione imbricatis. 

 Corolla gamo-petala, profunde 5 — 7-fida, basi erecta, laciniis apice paten- 

 tissimis, uniserialibus, eestivatione imbricatis. Stamina numerosa, 3 — 4- 

 serialia, erecta, basi in tubum coroUse adnatuu) coalita ; filamenta superne 

 libera, dilatata, imbricata, apice abrupte acuminata. Antherœ ovatae, 



'2 H 2 



