270 NATURAL HISTORY OF PLANTS. 
base; anthers elongate-linear, inwardly adhering to grooves of style, 
dorsally inserted slightly above the base; cells submarginal ad- 
nate linear, longitudinally rimose. Germen sessile, apex tapering 
in style, 2-locular; one cell sterile; other l-ovulate; ovule pen- 
dulous from long obclavate funicle, subcampylotropous, descending ; 
micropyle introrse superior ; style long conical, longitudinally 5-10- 
sulcate; apex stigmatiferous minutely 2-denticulate. Fruit “ ovate- 
subturbinate, 10-sulcate, long acuminate coriaceous-spongy, 1-locular, 
indehiscent. Seed pendulous exalbuminous; testa nearly disap- 
pearing; cotyledons wide thick fleshy; radicle straight superior 
short; plumule long evolute.”—A glabrous tree; leaves alternate ; 
limb very unequal, vernation involute, glabrous coriaceous, when 
young marginate with exserted subclavate denticules, afterwards 
deciduous ; flowers solitary terminal; peduncle short thick; bracts 
2, long membranous involute for a long time, including long conical 
bud (Central America). See p. 245. 

VI. MARCGRAVIEA. 
24. Marcgravia Pium.—Flowers hermaphrodite, receptacle de- 
pressed convex. Sepals usually 4 (?), connate at base, unequal short, 
much imbricated. Petals 4, 5, connate in coriaceous deciduous calyx- 
like mass, very short apex alone imbricated 2—5-dentate. Stamens 
sometimes few, subdefinite in number and 1-seriate verticillate, usually 
(12-40) ; filaments often connate at base, otherwise free ; anthers sub- 
basifixed, introrsely 2-rimose. Germen superior, apex shortly conical 
and usually obscurely radiated stigmatiferous ; cells 4—co , complete or 
incomplete. Ovules «, anatropous, descending or horizontal, inserted 
on ramified-lamellate placenta. Fruit subglobose thick fleshy, inde- 
hiscent or finally loculicidal at base. Seeds », oblong, exterior reticu- 
lated; embryo fleshy thick; cotyledons often shorter than conical 
radicle.—ÆEpiphytal or scandent shrubs, more rarely arborescent ; 
leaves alternate heteromorphous ; on sterile branches, repent sessile 
2-glandular at base, affixed to rocks or trees ; in free branches coria- 
ceous exstipulate ; flowers in clusters, often umbelliferous terminal ; 
inferior pedicellate often oblique on summit of pedicel; bractlets 2, 
inserted under flower, analogous to sepals; superior flowers more or 
less abortive, with sacciform bract, open without and below, longitu- 
dinally adnate to pedicel, stipitate (Zropical America). See p. 246. 
