BYTTNERIACE^. 85 



Plate 134. 



MELOCHIA, L. 



Calyx 5-fidiis. Petala obovato-spathulata. Stamina 5, 

 petalis opposita, monadelpha. Ovarium brevissime stipita- 

 tum aut sessile, 5-loculare ; loculis superposite 2-oviilatis : 

 styli 5, basi comiati. Capsula membranacea, pyramidato- 

 pentagona, secus angulos aciitatos loculicide 5-valvis. Em- 

 bryo rectus. 



Melochia, Linn. Gen. 829 (excl. ppec). Jacq. Hort. Vindob. t. I?0. 



Gsrtn. Fr. t. 113. Cav. Diss. 6 t. 172. f. 1. DC. Prodr. 1. p. 



490. Endl. Gen. 5337. 

 Melochia Sp., St. Hil. FI. Bras. 1. p. 156. 



Calyx five-cleft, persistent ; the segments valvate in assti- 

 vation. Petals 5, hypogynons, alternate with the segments 

 of the calyx, oblong-obovate or spatulate, very obtuse, erect- 

 spreading, convolute in SBStivation, deciduous. Stamens 5, 

 opposite the petals and shorter than they, hyijogynous : fil- 

 aments filiform or subulate, monadelphous at the base into a 

 short tube which is connate with the claws of the petals 

 opposite the filaments, and often bears five alternate inter- 

 posed teeth or small lobes which represent a series of abortive 

 filaments : anthers oblong, extrorse, two-celled ; the cells 

 parallel, obtuse at both ends, opening longitudinally for their 

 whole length. Pollen globular, smooth. Ovaky sessile or 

 nearly so, of five united pistils, five-celled ; the cells placed 

 opposite the petals, two-ovuled : styles 5, united below, 

 introrsely stigmatose at the summit. Ovules two in each 

 cell, inserted one above the other on the inner angle, amphi- 

 tropous, ascending, the micropyle inferior. 



Capsule membranaceous, often pyramidal, five-angled 

 with the salient angles compressed or produced, five-celled, 

 loculicidally dehiscent through the projecting angles ; the 



