500 NATURAL HISTORY OF PLANTS. 



axillary solitary, shortly and thickly pedunculate. (Europe, warm 

 and temp. Asia and Africa.) — See p. 476. 



V. HALORAGE^l. 



17. Haloragis Forst. — Flowers hermaphrodite or polygamous; 

 receptacle concave turbinate or conical, in male flower less concave 

 4-8-costate or angular. Sepals 4, inserted in mouth of receptacle, 

 sometimes decurrent or subpeltate, or more rarely 2 (Meionectes), 

 valvate. Petals same in number, alternate, concave or cucullate, 

 sessile or unguiculate, imbricate or tortuous (sometimes 0). Stamens 

 double the number of petals, 2 -seriate ; filaments short filiform ; 

 anthers oblong or linear, often 4-gonal, introrsely or laterally 2-rimose. 

 Germen (in male flower rudimentary or effete) adnate to receptacle 

 within inferior ; cells 2-4, complete or incomplete; styles equal to 

 number of cells, stigmatose or plumose at apex and within. Ovules 

 in cells solitary descending ; micropyle introrsely superior. Fruit 

 drupaceous slightly fleshy or nutlike, indéhiscent, angular or alate, 

 1-4-locular. Seeds 1-4, descending ; testa membranous ; albumen 

 fleshy more or less copious; cotyledons of axile subcylindrical embryo 

 short or very short ; radicle superior terete.- — Herbs, sometimes sub- 

 shrubby at base, ramose ; leaves opposite and alternate, entire or 

 serrate, minutely stipulate (?) ; flowers in racemose terminal spikes, 

 sometimes pendulous; bracts 1-florous or cymiferous ; bracteoies 2 

 or 0. (Australia, New Zealand, warm south-east. Asia, Juan Fer- 

 nandez.) — See p. 477. 



18 ? Loudonia Lindl. — Flowers nearly of Haloragis (larger) ; 

 receptacle 2-4-pterous. Sepals and petals alternate induplicately 

 cucullate 2-4. Stamens 4-8 (or 12?), 2-seriate; filaments short 

 erect, persistent. Germen imperfectly 2-4-locular or finally 1-locular ; 

 styles 2-4, stigmatose at oblique apex ; ovules 2-4, inserted under 

 apex, descending. Fruit 2-4-alate or 2-4-gonal subclavate coria- 

 ceous, 1-spermous. Seed richly albuminous ; radicle of axile embryo 

 elongate. — Glabrous perennial herbs (turning black or green when 

 dry) ; rhizome woody ; branches erect robust often simple ; leaves 

 alternate line r entire subfleshy ; flowers in terminal compound 

 cymiferous corymbs. (South Australia.) — See p. 479- 



