cistace.l. 205 



Plate 88, 89. 

 LECHEA, L. 



Petala 3, parva, in alabastro plana, marcescentia. Stami- 

 na 3 — 12. Ovarium incomplete 3-loculare : placentae 3 late 

 lamelliformes semiseptis adnatas, extus 2-ovuliferae. Stig- 

 mata plumoso-fimbriata. Capsula 3-valvis : valvas a semi- 

 septis placentisve solutae. Embryo rectiusculus, fere axilis. 

 — Herbae exstipulatae, parviflorae, floribus sordide purpureis. 



Lechea, Linn. Gen. 142. GaJitn. Fr. t. 129. DC. Prodr. 1. p. 285. 



Torr. & Gray, Fl. N. Am. 1. p. 152. Endl. Gen. 5030. 

 Lechea & Lechidium, Spach, in Comp. Bot. Mag. 2. p. 282, & Ann. 



Sci. Nat. I. c. 



Pinweed. 



Calyx herbaceous, persistent, of 5 sepals ; the two exte- 

 rior in the bud minute and rather to be regarded as bractlets ; 

 the three proper sepals convolute in aestivation, ovate, con- 

 cave. Petals 3, hypogynous, alternate with the three prop- 

 er sepals, and not longer than they, obovate or oblong, con- 

 volute but not crumpled in aestivation, marcescent-persistent. 

 Stamens hypogynous, 3 - 12, when only three placed oppo- 

 site the petals, shorter than they : filaments filiform : an- 

 thers oval, introrse, the cells opening longitudinally. Ovary 

 globular, raised on a very short stipe, incompletely three- 

 celled, the 3 imperfect partitions each bearing a large oval 

 and valve-shaped placenta : style very short or obsolete : 

 stigmas 3, fimbriate-plumose. Ovules 2 on each placenta, 

 borne on. the base of the posterior face one on each side of 

 the partition, erect, orthotropous, on very short funiculi. 



Capsule cartilaginous, triangular -ovoid or globular, inclos- 

 ed in the connivent calyx or nearly so, 3 - 6-seeded, loculi- 

 cidally three-valved ; the valves separating from the broad 

 and crustaceous placentae, which appear like an inner set of 

 valves curved in the opposite direction, and inclosing the 



