MENISPERMACE.E. 73 



Plate 29. 

 MENISPERMUM, Tourn. 



Calyx 4-8-sepalus. Petala 6-S. Stamina 12-24, dis- 

 creta; antheris quadrilocellatis. Stigmata explanato-dilatata. 

 Drupse campylotropae ; putamine compresso, orbiculato-reni- 

 formi, osseo. Embryo in albumine putamini conformi gra- 

 cilis, hippocrepicus ; cotyledonibus contiguis radiculaque an- 

 gnste linearibus. 



Menispermum, Tourn. in Mem. Acad. Par. 1705. p. 237. Linn. (excl. 

 sp.) Lam. 111. t. 824. Mcench, Meth. p. 277. Schkubr, Handb. 

 t. 337. DC. Syst. 1. p. 539. Torr. & Gr. Fl. N. Am. 1. p. 47. 



excl. § 2. 



Moonsccd. 



Flowers dioecious. Ster. Fl. Sepals 5 to S, petaloid, 

 thin and membranaceous, imbricated in aestivation, spatulate- 

 oblong ; the two exterior narrower, and rather to be counted 

 as bractlets ; all early deciduous. Petals 6 to 8 (most com- 

 monly 7), shorter than the sepals, somewhat fleshy, orbicu- 

 lar-dilated from a short claw, cucullate-incurved, deciduous. 

 Stamens 12 to 24, much longer than the petals : filaments 

 filiform, gradually thickened above : anthers innate, of 1 

 globular cells before dehiscence, when the two proper didy- 

 mous cells are confluent at the longitudinal suture. Pistils 

 entirely wanting. Fert. Fl. Sepals 4 to 6, broader and 

 shorter than in the sterile flowers. Petals as in the sterile, 

 hypogynous, with about as many abortive stamens, at the 

 base of the thickish cylindrical-oblong gynophore. Pistils 

 2 to 4, sessile on the apex of tbe gynophore, distinct : ovary 

 seiniovate, one-celled, one-ovuled : stigma sessile, thickened, 

 fleshy, dilated, crenate-papillose, recurved. Ovule borne on 

 the middle of the ventral suture, amphitropous, oblong ; the 

 micropyle superior (directed to the apex of the cell). 



Drupe baccate (one. or sometimes two or three, ripening 

 t; 



