OCHNACE^. 153 



Plate 158. 



CASTELA, Tuv'pin. 



Flores polygamo-dioici, axillares, 4-meri, 8-andri. An- 

 therse extrorsse, longitudinaliter dehiscentes. Ovarium gyno- 

 phoro brevissimo insidens, profunde 4-lobum. Styli 4. Dru- 

 psB 4, patentes. Radicula supera. — Frutices spinescentes, 

 foliis subsessilibus coriaceis integerrimis. 



Castela, Turpin in Ann. Mus. 7. p. 78. t. 5. DC. Prodr. 1. p. 738. 

 Hook. Bot. ftlisc. 1. p. 271. t. 56. Torr. & Gray, Fl. N. Am. 1. 

 p. 680. Endl. Gen. 5956. 



Ooatbiisli. 



Flowers by abortion polygamo-dioecious. Calyx small, 

 of four ovate or triangular sepals, united at the base, decid- 

 uous. Petals 4, oval, concave, much larger than the se- 

 pals, hypogynous, imbricated in aestivation, deciduous. Sta- 

 mens 8, inserted alternate with and opposite the petals into 

 the base of a very short gynophore or hypogynous disk : 

 riLAMENTs subulate : anthers cordate-ovate, fixed near the 

 base, extrorse, two-celled, the cells opening longitudiually 

 for their whole length : they are similar but smaller in the 

 fertile flowers. Pistil wanting or abortive in the sterile 

 flowers ; in the fertile seated on the very short gynophore, 

 of four carpels united only at the axis : ovary deeply four- 

 lobed, four-celled, the cells opposite the petals : styles dis- 

 tinct or united at the base, acute, revolute, stigmatose down 

 the inner face. Ovule solitary and pendulous in each coll, 

 anatropous. 



Fruit consisting of four distinct and widely spreading 



substipitate drupes, or by abortion fewer ; the rugose or 



pitted compressed endocarp at length two-valvcd after the 



fleshy exocarp dries up. Seed solitaryj conformed to the 



11 



