88 XVI. OLACINEAE. [Pennantia. 



simple ; stigma entire or lobed ; ovules 1—3, pendulous from a central 



placenta, or from the side or apex of the cell. Fruit an indeliiscent drupe, 



superior or rarely inferior, 1-celled, 1-seeded. Seed pendulous ; testa thin ; 



endosperm fleshy or rarely ; embryo minute ; radicle superior. Trees or 



shrubs, with exstipulate simple alternate or rarely opposite leaves. 



Geneea, about 36. Species, 1Y5. Widely diafcributed through the tropical and subtropical 

 regions of the earth. The order has strong affiaities with Santalaceae and Lorantlmceae. 



1. PENNANTIA, Porst. 

 Flowers dioecious or polygamous. Calyx minute. Petals 5, valvate. 

 Stamens 5, hypogynous. Anthers versatile or basifixed. Ovary oblong, 

 1-celled ; stigma sessile or nearly so ; ovule solitary, suspended from near the 

 apex of the cell. Drupe small, fleshy or coriaceous ; stone obliquely trigonous, 

 spuriously erect, grooved at the back to receive a flattened cord, which enters a 

 perforation near the apex, and carries the pendulous seed at its tip. Shrubs or 

 trees, with alternate leaves and terminal many-flowered cymes or panicles. 



The genus comprises 3 species : the present, another in Norfolk Island, and a third in New 

 South Wales. 



Named in honour of Thomas Pennant, a Scottish naturalist. 



1. P. COrymbosa, Foist., Char. Gen. 134. A shrub or small tree, 10ft.- 



40ft. high. In the young state the branchlets are slender, tortuous, and 



interlaced, bearing distant cuneate 3-lobed leaves zin. long. Mature leaves 



shortly petioled, lin.— 4in. long, ovate, oblong-ovate or obovate, obtuse, entire or 



sinuate, lobed or with large coarse teeth. Panicles terminal, the rhachis and 



branches white and pubescent. Pedicels jointed. Male: ovary 0; petals 



waxy; anthers sagittate, versatile, on long pendulous filaments. Female: 



smaller ; anthers oblong, basifixed on short erect filaments ; ovary oblong ; 



stigma 3-lobed. Berries black, fleshy. — Forst., Prod. n. 396; Willd., Sp. PI. 



iv. 1122; Rich., Fl. N.Z. 368; A. Cunn., Precurs. n. 576; Hook, f., Fl. N.Z. 



i. 35, t. 12 ; Handbk. 41 ; T. Kirk, Forest Fl. N.Z. t. 77, 78. Fagoides 



triloba and Meristoides paniculata. Banks and Sol. MSS. 



NORTH and SOUTH Islands: Kaipara to Southland. Sea-level to 2,000£t. Kaikomako. 

 Kahikomako. Nov., Dec. 



Flowers fragrant. Young shoots and leaves pubescent. Wood white, brittle ; used for ob- 

 taining fire by friction. 



Okdee XVII.-CELASTRINEAE. 

 Calyx small, persistent, 4-5-cleft, rarely 3-6-cleft. Petals as many as 

 the sepals, both imbricated in the bud or rarely valvate. Stamens as many 

 as the petals, alternating with them, inserted on or at the margin of the 

 fleshy disk which fills the bottom of the calyx and sometimes covers the ovary. 

 Ovary sessile, 2-5-celled ; ovules 1 or 2 in each cell, anatropous ; style 1, 

 short ; stigma entire or lobed. Fruit various, dehiscent or indehiscent, 2-5- 

 celled, superior. Seeds usually arillate, erect^ rarely winged ; endosperm usually 

 copious and fleshy; embryo rather large. Shrubs or trees, rarely spinous or 



