58 MAGXOLIACE.E, SCHIZANDKE.E. 



ovuled, obliquely narrowed into a short beak, which is stig- 

 matose for the whole length down the inner side. Ovules 

 collateral, inserted on the ventral suture above the base, just 

 opposite the lower termination of the decurrent stigma, glob- 

 ular, nearly amphitropous. 



Fruit of several (6 to 12, the rest abortive) globular bac- 

 cate carpels, loosely spicate on the much elongated gyno- 

 phore, 1-2-seeded. Seeds superposed when both ripen, hori- 

 zontal, reniform, with a very short raphe in the sinus; the 

 testa crustaceous. Albumen fleshy and oily, homogeneous. 

 Embryo minute, next the hilum : cotyledons very short. 



Shrub sarmentose ; with ash-colored bark ; the leaves 

 alternate, ovate, pointed, long-petioled, entire or sparingly 

 denticulate, the teeth glandular-tipped, veiny, thin and mem- 

 branaceous, beautifully punctate with pellucid dots under a 

 lens, deciduous. Stipules none. Buds small, scaly. Pe- 

 duncles filiform, solitary in the axils of the lower leaves of 

 the branch of the season, naked, one-flowered. Flowers 

 small (half an inch in diameter), crimson. Berries red ; the 

 fructiferous receptacle elongating to 2 or 3 inches in length. 



Etymology. From <rxi£a, to cut, and di'fjp, for anlhtr ; the disk formed 

 of the united stamens being cleft, as it were, between the anthers. 



Properties. Mucilaginous, the fruit and seeds rather pungent-aromatic. 



Geographical Distribution. South Carolina to Texas, in damp woods. 



Note. The two exterior sepals might be taken for bractlets, and then, 

 when there is a sixth petal, the floral envelopes would be trimerous : but the 

 stamens appear to be uniformly five. 



PLATE 22. Schizandra coccinea, Michx. ; — portion of a stem, natural 

 size, with both kinds of flowers. (Louisiana, Dr. Hair.) 



1 . Diagram of a staminate flower. 



2. A sepal, and 3, a petal, enlarged ; inside view. 



4. The disk of united stamens, enlarged. 



5. One of the stamens, separated. 



6. Head of pistils, enlarged; and 7, vertical section of the same. 



8. Vertical section of a pistil, more magnified, showing the ovules, &c. 

 !). Elongated receptacle and carpels in fruit. 



10. Section of one of the baccate carpels. 



11. A seed, enlarged ; and 12, a section of the same, displaying the embryo. 

 13. Embryo, detached, and more magnified. 



