THALAMIFL0R2E. 



65 



a hand), which is sacred among the Mexican Indians, and the vener- 

 able Baobab-tree of Africa, 60 feet in diameter, 100 feet high, and 

 which lives to the age of 2000 years. 



113. The native negroes hold this tree in great reverence, and build 

 their huts beneath it. Like the rest of its family (Cotton, Hollyhock, 

 Okra, etc.), it blooms for many weeks; the flowers opening at sunri.se, 

 blooming for one day, and withering at night, — each day's blooming, 

 however, being profuse. In the early moi-ning the negroes stand in 

 silent groups around the tree, which is sleeping, as they think ; as the 

 large, beautiful, white, pendulous flowers 

 unfold, swinging like chalices, on their 

 long peduncles, these simple creatures 

 greet the tree with the salutation, 

 " Good-day, sweet lady." 



114. A little higher in this Sub- 

 division are the great Borneo 

 Camphor-trees (401). The Ca- 

 mellias are here also ; they include 

 the Tea (Fig. 78). 



115. The Mangosteens, also ; they in- 

 clude the Gamboge-tree (Fig. 169). The 

 Tamarisk (Fig. 119) is here; the Pink 

 (Pig. 174, A) ; the Polygala (Fig. 185) ; 

 the Arnotta (Fig. 199) ; the Violet (Fig. 

 204, D, E) ; the Sundew (Fig. 112) ; the 

 Mignonette (Fig. 122) ; the Caper (Fig. 

 177) ; the Mustards (Fig. 162), in- 

 cluding the "Wall-flower and Shepherd's 

 Purse (Fig. 200) ; the Bleeding - heart 

 (Fig. 124) ; the Poppies (Figs. "181, C, 



197, E) ; the Sarracenias (Fig. 114). 



' " \ a I .pi^ 78.— Tea {Thm Sinensis) : 



_ ^^, , ^ n t branch with Ivs. and fls. 



116. Observe that the floral 



number Five, or some multiple of it, still prevails, and that 

 the floral parts incline to be more and more distinct and free. 

 The floral number is rarely two, or a multiple of two, as in 

 the Evening Primroses (Fig. 75), Mustards (Fig. 162), 

 Bleeding-hearts (Fig. 1 24), Poppies. 



117. Next come the Water-Lilies ; they include the sacred 

 Indian Lotus (Fig. 79), which is figured in the painting 

 and architecture of both India and Egypt. It is the most 

 highly differentiated flower yet discovered. 



All its floral parts are distinct and free, including the ovaries (Fig. 

 79, A), and these are 1-celled and 1-seeded (B) ; the seed (C) is with- 

 out perisperm, consisting of 2 fleshy cotyledons and a plumule of 2 

 e 6* ' 



