GEEANIACEJE. 37 



sitipetalous 5, either sterile autherless, or oftener the 2 posterior 

 fertile. Gyuœceum fruit and seed of Geranium [or Erodiuni). — - 

 Herbs imdershrubs or shrubs, glabrous or pubescent, often viscous, 

 fragrant, aromatic, sometimes fleshy and succulent ; leaves opposite 

 or alternate, entire, dentate, lobate or variously dissected ; stipules 

 lateral ; flowers cymose at summit of peduncle ; cymes sometimes 

 umbelliform, oftener 1 -parous, more rarely few or 1 -flowered. 

 {^North^ east and south Africa^ Australia, and New Zealand.) 

 See p. 7. 



III. NETJEADE^. 



6. Neurada L. — Flowers regular; receptacle concave cupular, 

 sepals 5, and petals same in number, small, imbricate inserted at mar- 

 gin of receptacle. Stamens 10, 2-seriate perigynously inserted with 

 perianth in the throat of receptacle ; filaments free, very short, dilated 

 at base; anthers introrsc, 2-riinose. Carpels usually 10 (or 5-9) aflixcd 

 to interior of receptacle ; gcrmens sessile or foveolate inserted, subliori- 

 zontally patent ; styles erect at base widely subulate, afterwards coher- 

 ing among themselves, capitellate stigmatiferous at apex ; ovule in 

 germens solitary descendent (subhorizontal as to flower) ; micropyle 

 extrorse superior. Fruit carpels 10 or fewer dry, becoming hians 

 above, 1-spermous, inserted in cavity of persistent accrescent dry recep- 

 tacle, depressed conical and much echiuate, induviate, surmounted by 

 spinescent styles. Seed curved ; embryo exalbumiuous ; cotelydons 

 linear-oblong rather flat aiiriculate at base ; radicle short decurved, 

 near axis of receptacle, plantule germinating within induviate fi-uit. — 

 Annual lanate ramified herbs, branches becoming ligneous, decumbent ; 

 leaves alternate lobate petiolate; stipules (?) lateral minute 1, 2; 

 flowers axillary, solitary, pedunculate, siuTOunded at base with epi- 

 calyx of 5 bracts alternating with calyx. [North Africa, south- 

 western Asia.) See p. 9. 



7. Grielum L. — Flowers (nearly of Neurada) ecalyculate. Petals 

 5 [of Geranium or Monsonia), large, contorted. Stamens 10, perigy- 

 nous. Carpels 5-10 and fruit of Neurada. — Humble annual cane- 

 scent diffuse ramified herbs ; branches decumbent ; leaves alternate 

 petiolate, pinnate, lobate, or decompound ; lobes linear ; stipules 

 small or ; flowers axillary, solitary long pedunculate. Other 

 characters of Neurada. [South Africa.) See p. 10. 



