296 VATURAL HISTORY OF PLANTS. 
supports one, two or more frequently an indefinite number of 
ascendent anatropous ovules, with interior and inferior micropyle.' 
The fruit (fig. 341) is an almost globular, ovoid, oblong capsule, or 
in certain Wormskioldia, narrow, much elongated, siliquiform and 
Turnera ulmifolia. 

Fra. 342. 
Seed (8). 
Fie. 341. 
Dehiscent fruit. 
Fig. 340. 
Flower, 
torulose. Its three valves bear on the middle of their internal face 
a very variable number of seeds (tig. 342), provided with a membra- 
nous aril,’ the coats* covering a fleshy albumen, and an almost cylin- 
drical axile embryo, with plano-convex cotyledons. About seventy- 
five species‘ of the genus are known. ‘They are herbaceous, suffru- 
tescent, or frutescent plants, glabrous or covered with hairs, and 
their habit and foliage are very variable. The leaves are alternate, 
sessile or petiolate, simple, entire, dentate, or pinnatifid. Their 
petiole is accompanied at the base by two lateral stipules, often small, 
sometimes wanting, and the base of their limb sometimes bears two 
lateral glands. Their flowers are axillary, solitary, or more rarely 
united in racemes or cymes, sometimes in capitula (Cephalacis), and 
they are often connate for a variable distance with the petiole of 
their axile leaf. Zurnera is principally American, more rarely found 
in tropical and southern Africa; Wormskioldia is entirely of the 
latter regions. 

4H. B. K., Nov. Gen. et Spec., vi. 127.— 
1 When they are numerous they are ranged 
in two rows for each placenta; they have two 
envelopes, and their umbilical region already 
presents a slight swelling in the form of a pad, 
the first rudiment of the aril. 
2 This has most generally the form of a small 
erect leaf, almost independent of the seed, or 
partly enveloping it at its base like a sort of 
cornet, We have seen it springing from the 
umbilicus. 
3 The testa is crustaceous, or in general pretty 
regularly foyeate. 
A. S. H., Fl. Bras. Mer., ii, 212, t. 119-124, 
—Tot., in Ann, Soc. Nat., sér. 5, ix, 322-324 
(Wormskioldia).—Guizzem. & PErr., F7. Sen. 
Tent., i. t. 11 (Wormskioldia).— Harv. & SOND., 
Fil, Cap., ii, 599.—HaRrv., Thes. Cap., t. 140.— 
Hoox., Jcon., t. 22.—Kt., in Pet, Reise. Moss., 
Bot., 146, t. 26 (Wormskioldia).—GnisrEB., Fl. 
Brit. W.-Ind., 297.—Wazr., Rep., ii. 228, 230; 
v. 782; Ann. ii. 658. Fs 

