SÂPINDACE^. 



369 



IV. PANCOVIA SEEIES. 



There were formerly comprised in the genus Sapindiis several spe- 

 cies with irregular flowers, such as the S. cdulis {nihigivosus), Barak, 

 etc. Notwithstanding numcroiis and very great aflfinities with the 

 Sapindus proper, they are distinguished by a corolla with only four 

 petals, although the sepals are five in number, and by a disk not 

 arranged in a circle all round the foot of the gyna^ceum, but only 



Pancovia edidis. 



Fig. 375. Flower (4). 



Fig. 376. Diagram. 



Fig. 377. Longitudinal 

 section of flower. 



developed on its superior side. The first generic name under 

 which they were distinguished, in 1799, was that of Fancovia.^ 

 They have polygamous monœcious flowers (fig. 375-377) with five 

 unequal and imbricate sepals. The four petals are longer, slightly 

 unequal, imbricate, lined inwardly by an appendage, which is some- 

 times entire and sometimes bilobate at its apex, more or less cuculate 

 or folded and lobate, in the form of a ridge. The stamens are gene- 

 rally eight in number,- with more or less excentric insertion, having 

 filaments, glabrous or, more often, covered with hairs, longer in the 

 male flowers, with bilocular introrse anthers sterile in the female 



1 W. Spec. Plant, ii. 285.— B. H. Gen. 465.— 

 H. Bn. Adansoiiia, ix. 229. — Erioglossiim Bl. 

 Bijdr. 229.— Endl. Oen. n. 5611.— B. H. Gen. 

 396, n. 13. — Mouliiisia Cambess. Mem. Mns. 

 xxiii. 27, t. 2.— Endl. Gen. n. bdlZ.— XJUenla 

 NoRONH. Vei-h. Bat. Gen, v. (ex Miq. Fl. Ind.- 

 Sat. i. p. ii. 574.) — BUtelasma Hook. f. Gen. 

 395, n. 12.— Bakee, Fl. Mam-it. 57. 



^ Of these eight stamens, five, hardly larger 



than the others, are each superposed to one of 

 the sepals ; of the three others, one would be 

 superposed to the petal which is wanting, and 

 two, placed on the other side of the flower, 

 are each in face of a petal. The symmetrical 

 plan of the andi'oceum (which is at the same 

 time that of the sexual organs) thus diflera 

 from that of the calyx. 



