42 NATURAL HISTORY OF PLANTS. 
gamosepalous calyx cut upon the margin into a variable number’ of 
unequal teeth, primitively imbricated.? The stamens are arranged 
in several concentric circles. They are free, each consisting of an 
almost sessile erect anther of an angular form surmounted by an 
obtuse prolongation of the connective. The two adnate lateral cells 
open upon the side by two longitudinal clefts.’ In the female flower 
(figs. 69, 70) the calyx is nearly the same, and surrounds the base of 
a superior gynæceum formed of a verticil of from twenty to thirty 
carpels surrounding a central axile‘ column. Each of them is com- 
posed of a one-celled ovary, attenuated above into a narrow style’ 
stigmatiferous above and within. In the interior angle of the ovary 
is a placenta supporting an ascending ovule, anatropous at first, then 
pseudo-campylotropous,’ with the micropyle looking downwards and 
outwards.’ The fruit is almost spherical, formed of a great number 
of follicles which surround the central columella, from which they 
are detached sooner or later. Each opens longitudinally according 
to the mesial line of its dorsal lobe, to let a pseudo-campylotropal 
seed escape, provided, like the ovule, with a fleshy aril occupy- 
ing its lower extremity, and containing under its coats a for- 
nicate peripheral embryo with conical inferior dorsal radicle, and 
narrow accumbent cotyledons. The embryo surrounds a more or less 
abundant farinaceous albumen.’ G. ramulosus is an erect ramified 
glabrous shrub, with alternate leaves slightly fleshy, linear, sub- 
cylindrical, subulate, articulate at the base, and accompanied by two 
small lateral stipules. The flowers are axillary, solitary, peduncu- 
late, accompunied by two lateral bractlets. 

' There are generally from six to eight. 
2 In the young bud the narrowest are interior 
and partly covered by the larger. 
3 In this plant, as in several others of the same 
genus, the lines of dehiscence of the two neigh- 
bouring anthers touch each other ; and when they 
open, the masses of pollen which belong to the 
two different anthers often stick to each other, 
and are detached thus under the form of a 
bilobate body. 
4 Here the apex of this column is scarcely 
prominent at the centre of the styles at the adult 
age. When the young buds are examined, it is 
seen that the receptacle has the form of a thick 
cone, the summit surpassing all the young carpels 
ranged in a circle round the base. 
5 It is first incurved above except at its 
extreme apex, pointed and slightly reflexed 
(figs. 69, 70). 
5 See, for the singular organization of this 
ovule and the seed which succeeds it, Adansonia, 
x. 157. 
7 Its lower extremity bears already an arillate 
swelling (fig. 70). 
8 The arillate production occupies at the same 
time the place of the micropyle and that of the 
hilum ; it even extends in certain species to the 
periphery of the funicle. 
® In certain species it is rather fleshy and less 
thick. The embryo is often coloured a pale 
green, 
