154 OCHNACEiE. 



cell, obovate, pendulous, anatropous, with the micropyle a 

 little produced, the testa membranaceous. Embryo large, in 

 thin fleshy albumen : cotyledons broad and flat, foliaceous : 

 RADICLE short, superior. 



Shrubs low, with spinescent branches, also bearing spines 

 in the axils, and subsessile alternate leaves, of a thick and 

 rigid texture, shining above, silvery-canescent underneath, 

 mucronate, entire, with revolute margins. Stipules none. 

 Flowers small, solitary or somewhat fascicled in the axils of 

 the leaves, subsessile, "saflron-colored," the fruit red. 



Etymology. Eedicated to M. Cas^e/, author of a poem upon plants. 



Geographical Distribution. A genus of three or four known species, 

 mostly natives of the Antilles ; one of which is also found on the coast of 

 Texas (by Drummond and Mr. Wright), in Northern Mexico (by Dr. Gregg), 

 and in the Galapagos Islands, according to Dr. J. D. Hooker. They grow 

 in arid places. 



Properties. These plants are intensely bitter ; but are not applied to 

 any known use. 



PLATE 158. Castela Nicholsoni, Hook., probably also C. erecta, Tur- 

 pin ; — branch of a plant with staminate flowers, of the natural 

 size (from Texas, Wright). 



1. An unexpanded staminate flower, magnified. 



2. Diagram of the same. 



3. Vertical section of the same, more magnified. 



4. A separated sepal of the same. 



5. A separated petal. 



6. A stamen more magnified, seen from within. 



7. The same, seen from the outside. 



8. A fertile flower, magnified, copied from Hooker, I. c. 



9. Fruit, of the natural size, from a North-Mexican specimen oi Dr. Gregg. 



10. Enlarged vertical section of a drupe and its seed. 



11. A seed detached and magnified. 



12. Embryo (inverted), more magnified. 



