516 NATURAL HISTORY OF PLANTS. 



valvate ; 2 anterior, the third posterior. Stamens equal in number 

 and opposite folioles ; filaments connate in cylindrical column ; 

 anthers dorsally coherent, extrorse, 2-locular, 4-locellate; clefts 2 

 longitudinal, confluent at apex. Receptacle of female flower hollow 

 linear-prismatic tubular enclosing adnate germen, above produced to 

 irregular epigynous margin (perianth ?). Style 1, terminal cylindrical 

 simple, stigmatose from middle. Ovule in cell 1, descending (?) ; 

 micropyle extrorsely superior. Fruit at apex umbilicate with scar 

 of style, sparsely drupaceous ; putamen rather hard. Seed filling 

 putamen ; albumen copious large-celled oily ; embryo subglobose 

 axile, situate higher than centre, small-celled.- — Fleshy (coloured) 

 parasitic plants, more or less pilose ; rhizome tuberous lobate ; 

 branches sometimes long cylindrical, creeping or ascending; aerial 

 floral branches, girt at base with lobed volva, higher clothed with 

 acute imbricate scales ; flowers in spikes or 1 -sexual terminal ovoid 

 or subglobose capitules ; males free ebracteate pedicellate (sometimes 

 intermixed with abortive gynsecia) ; females sessile ebracteate, 

 united together above or in their whole length. (Both trop. 

 Americas.) — See p. 507. 



7. ? Thônningia Vahl. — Flowers dioecious (nearly of Langs- 

 dorffia). Male flower : perianth (?) consisting of 2-6 separate 

 linear-subulate squamules. Stamens 3-6, 1-adelphous; column thick 

 conical fusiform ; anthers extrorse, 2-locular, 4-locellate, 2-rimose ; 

 valves thin. Female flowers (externally of Langsdorffia); perianth(?) 

 epigynous longer tubular ; internal structure (as of fruit) unknown. 

 — Fleshy (red) parasitic plants; rhizome ("from tuberous centre?") 

 ramose ; branches creeping cylindrical tomentose ; floral branches 

 aerial springing laterally from branches or lobes (" adventitious"); 

 volva, scales, terminal inflorescence, etc. (where known) of Langs- 

 dorffia. (Trop, ivest. Africa.) — See p. 508. 



