76 NATURAL HISTORY OF PLANTS. 
lateral and apparently axillary’ racemes. Almost all the species are 
natives of South Africa; some however are met with in tropical Africa, 
in Madagascar, in Arabia, and three or four even in Mexico and Texas.” 
In a great number of the Hermannias of South Africa the 
staminal filaments instead of enlarging in 
their upper part, present towards the middle 
of their height a dilatation which is some- 
times covered with papillæ. It is upon this 
character that the genus ahernia (figs. 114, 
115) has been founded, which is preserved 
by the greater number of authors. We only 
make it a section in the genus Hermannia, 
including in that alone thirty frutescent 
Hermannia (Mahernia) incisa. 

Fic.114. Fra. 115. : 
3 3 qu or suffrutescent* species. 
Flower (2). Flower, without ‘ i 
perianth, In Melochia’ (fig. 116) the general organi- 
zation of the flower is the same as in Her- 
mannia, but with two great differences: the carpels are superposed 
to the stamens instead of being alternate with them; and each of 
them instead of an indefinite number of ovules, only contains two, 
ascending, with exterior and inferior’ micropyle. The styles more- 
over are free, at least to a certain distance; the staminodes of 
variable form may be interposed to the fertile stamens, with 
which they unite below; and the embryo is straight instead of 
being more or less curved. The calyx is sometimes membranous 
and vesicular round the fruit. It is for this reason that a special 
genus has been made under the name of Physodium,’ containing two 

1 They are often raised on the branches toa 
level with a leaf, by the side of which they 
become free. ‘This arrangement is most ap- 
parent in Melochia, The flowers are, therefore, 
not really axillary. 
2 Cav., Diss., vi. 327, t. 177-182.—Jacq., 
Hort. Schenbdr., t. 117, 129, 213, 215, 291, 
292,—Wenpvt., Sert. Hanov., t. 4, 5, 10.— 
Spacu, Suit. à Buffon, iii, 466.—A. Gray, 
Gen. Il, t. 185.—Hoox., Icon, t. 597.— 
Harv. et Sonp., Fl, Cap., i. 180.—ANDR., Bot. 
Repos., t. 164.—GARCKE, in Bot. Zeit. (1864), 
17.— Bot. Mag. t. 299, 304, 307.—WaLr. 
Ann., iii. 882; vii. 424. 
8 L., Mantiss.,n.1255.—DC., Prodr., 1, 496. 
—Spacu, Suit. à Buffon, iii. 472.—ENDL., Gen., 
n. 5341.—B. H., Gen., 228, n. 21—H. Bn., in 
Adansonia, iii. 176. 
4 Cav., Diss., vi. t. 176, f. 1,2; t. 177, f. 3; 
t. 178, f. 1; t. 181, f. 2; t.200, ?. 1, 2.—Jacg., 
Hort. Schenbr., t. 54, 201.—ANDR., Bot. Repos., 
t. 85.—Harv. et SOND., Fl. Cap., i. 207.— Bot. 
Reg., t. 224.— Bot. Mag., t. 277, 353.— Watp., 
Ann., vii. 426. 
5 L., Gen., n. 829,—J., Gen., 274.—GZÆRIN., 
Fruct., 5. 153, t. 118.—Lamx., Dict., iv. 81; 
Suppl. iii. 653; JU. t. 571.—DC., Prod... 
490,—ARN., in Ann. Se. Nat., sér. 2, ii. 235.— 
Enpt., Gen., n. 5337.—H. BN., in Adansonia, 
iii, 177; ix. 344; in Payer Fam. Nat., 289.— 
B. H., Gen., 223, n. 23. 
6 They have a double tegument, 
7 Prest, in Rel, Henk., ii. 150, t. 72.— 
Enpz., Gen. n, 5339.—B. H., Gen, 223, n. 
22. 
