132 VATURAL HISTORY OF PLANTS. 
connate at the base into a more or less oblique column, 5-fid ; 
branches outwardly canaliculate, bearing cells marginally adnate 
distinct, extrorsely rimose ; connective apiculate or muticous. Ger- 
men 5-locular; cells alternating with the stamens, -ovulate; style 
acute stigmatiferous at apex. Capsule loculicidal 5-valved; seeds @ ; 
testa nitid crustaceous, marginally furnished with an aril, small, 
fleshy, growing between the hilum and chalaza; albumen fleshy ; 
embryo interior; cotyledons flat; radicle short thick—Trees or 
shrubs, stellate-tomentose or pubescent; leaves alternate cordate 
lobed stipulate; flowers pedunculate, leaf-opposed or lateral, soli- 
tary or in small cymes; bractlets 8, inserted below the flower 
(Mexico, California). See p. 72. 

V. HERMANNIEÆ. 
20. Hermannia L.— Flowers regular; receptacle slightly convex. 
Calyx gamosepalous, 5-fid valvate or slightly reduplicate. Petals 
5 contorted marcescent or deciduous; limbs often unequal ; claws 
hollow, filaments sometimes connate at base, oblong or dilated 
above, sometimes (Mahernia) attenuated at base, dilated at middle, 
exterior sometimes papillose; anthers extrorse; cells rimose to a 
greater or less distance, dehiscing from apex. Germen sessile or 
substipitate ; cells 5, alternipetalous, o-ovulate; styles same in 
number, more or less coalescing at base, interior concave, apex not 
at all or slightly swollen stigmatiferous. Capsule loculicidal, 5-valved, 
naked or horny at apex ; seeds © reniform ; embryo arched; coty- 
ledons oblong.—Herbs, small shrubs, or undershrubs ; hairs usually 
stellate ; leaves dentate or incised; stipules foliaceous large, some- 
times small or 0 ; flowers in simple or compound cymes, sometimes 
uniparous terminal, lateral, or spuriously subaxillary (7ropical and 
Southern Africa, Arabia, Mexico, Texas). See p. 74. 
21. Melochia L.—Flowers nearly of Hermannia; calyx sub- 
campanulate or inflated, sometimes finally much vesiculate (P/y- 
sodium, Physocodon). Petals 5, sometimes marcescent. Stamens 
5 oppositipetalous ; anthers extrorse sometimes 10 ; alternipetalous 
