XLIV. MALPIGHIACEiE. 



1. MALPIGHIA SERIES. 



We shall study first in this series not the 3Ialpighia, which have 

 given the name to it, as well as to the entire family, but a type dis- 

 tinguished by the independence of its carpels, as well as of the parts 

 of all its floral verticels. This may be, for example, a Pterandra ^ 

 (fig. 427, 428), whose flowers are hermaphrodite, regular and pen- 



Flerandra pyroidea. 



Fig. 427. Longitudinal section of flowei- (\) 



Fig. 428. Fi-uit (a). 



tamerous. Their receptacle surbased, and in form of a patulous 

 cupula, supports five sepals quineuncially imbricate. On the exte- 

 rior face two lateral glands are generally seen, here but slightly 

 developed, sometimes even hardly visible, but having, in many other 

 genera of this family, a very large development. The five petals, 

 alternate with the sepals, are provided with a short claw and a large 

 membranous imbricate limb. The androceiun is composed of tAvo 



1 A. Juss. in A. S. S. Fl. Bras. Mcr. iii. 72 

 (part.) ; Monogr. des Majpighiucêes (1843), 62, 

 t. 6. — Endl. Gen. n. 5.589. — Giiiseb, Linnœa, 



xiii. 288.— B. H. Qen. 253, n. ^.—Ecphynuicalysc 

 PoHL. in Flora (1825), 183 (ex Endl.). 



