6ri NATURAL HISTORY OF PLANTS. 



been signalised 1 as having sensibly the flower and fruit of Coluhrina. 

 This latter genus presents an ovary inferior and, as authors under- 

 stand, really " adherent " in the greatest portion of its extent. By 

 that, it approaches many of the types with a totally inferior ovary as 

 Reissckia. This is distinguished only by its fruit, equally inferior in 

 its entirety, whilst the receptaeular cupule of Coluhrina and analogous 

 genera finally envelops only a more or less considerable portion of the 

 pericarp. In other respects Reisseh'a, in habit, foliage and cirri, is 

 very closely allied to other types of the Goiianieœ series ; but it has 

 not the winged fruit ; which also deprives the last character of much 

 of its importance. For these reasons, we have been compelled to 

 withdraw from these external characters, borrowed from habit, leaves 

 and pericarp, a great part of the value which has generally been 

 attributed to them, and to reduce the series distinguishing this 

 family to the three following. 



1. Rhamne^. — Flowers with concave receptacle, cupuliform or 

 much deeper, lined with a thin disk covering its internal surface, or 

 with a thick annular disk which fills it, either around the ovary, or 

 above it. Perianth and andrcecium, perigyuous or epigynous, inserted 

 on the margin of the receptaeular cup. Ovary free or more generally 

 united, interiorly or to a very variable, sometimes even to almost 

 its entire extent, with the receptacle and disk whirh covers it, but 

 free in an upper portion however small, which always grows and 

 becomes independent of the receptacle in the fruit. 2 Fruit dry or 

 drupaceous, indéhiscent or dehiscent, sometimes surmounted by a 

 vertical wing. Seed sometimes ( Vent Hag inece) destitute of albumen. 

 — 20 genera. 



2. Gouane^e. — Flowers with very concave receptacle, in form of a 

 sac like a gourd or narrow-necked bottle, covered above the iuferior 

 (and adherent) ovary with an epigynous disk, occasionally very 

 restricted or nought. Fruit inferior, crowned with the remains or 

 scars of the calyx, enveloped 3 with the receptaeular sac, finally dry 

 and divided, with cocci dehiscing within the fruit. — 12 genera. 



3. Colletiez. — Flowers with cupuliform receptacle, prolonged 

 above to a thin and coloured tube the summit of which is divided into 



1 A. Gray, PI. Wright, p. i. 34. margins eut straight and representing even the 



2 So that the hase of the latter is accom- contour of the receptacle. 



panied to a very variable height by a small 3 Except the extreme summit which often 



tablet or frame of a oapule with cicatrised protudes in Pomaderris Trymulium. 



