412 



NATURAL HISTORY OF PLANTS. 



Quiinaflorida, 



clefts. They are inserted on the receptacle or, more rarely, are 

 united to a small extent with the base of the corolla and fall with it. 

 In the female flowers, the stamens less numerous, are often grouped 

 in alternipetalous bundles, and the anthers may present the ordinary 



appearance without being fertile.^ 

 The gynsecium, of which there is 

 rarely a rudiment in the male flowers, 

 is composed of a free ovary, with two 

 or three cells, surmounted by a style 

 immediately divided into an equal 

 number of slender subulate branches 

 enlarged at the summit to a discoid 

 or reniform stigmatiferous head. In 

 the internal angle of each cell are 

 inserted, near the base, two collateral 

 ascending ovules, with the micropyle 

 exterior and inferior. The fruit is a 

 slightly fleshy berry, finally dehiscent, ordinarily monospermous, 

 more rarely with two seeds which enclose, under their coats,^ a fleshy 

 often spherical embryo, with short inferior radicle and thick hemi- 

 spherical cotyledons. Quiina consists of trees or shrubs, sometimes 

 climbing, with a clear juice ^ less abundant than in the rest of the 

 family, opposite, verticillate leaves, most frequently accompanied by 

 two narrow rigid lateral stipules. They are ordinarily simple, den- 

 tate or crenelate, with pennate nervures connected by fine transverse 

 veins- In TourouUa,^ which probably ought to be united with this 

 genus, the leaves are pinnatipartite. The flowers* of Quiina are 

 small, generally numerous, united in more or less ramified clusters 

 of cymes often biparous. About fifteen species® are known, natives 

 of tropical America and nearly all of Guyana. 



Fig. 385. Long. sect, of bud ({). 



' Bzoeptionally, however, they enclose grains 

 of pollen. 



^ The exterior is tomentose. 



^ Of a gummy nature (TaECUL), see p. 415. 



* Atjbl. Guian. i. 492, t. 194.— J. Oen. 434.— 

 Pom. Diet. vii. 718 ; 111. t. 424.— Endl. Gen. n. 



4565. — Pl. et Tki. loc. cit. 315. — EoUnsonia 

 SoHEEE. Om. i±. 852. 



° White or yellowish, odorous. 



« Gbiseb. Fl. Brit. W.-Ind. 106.— Walp. 

 Sep. ii 434 ; Ann. vii. 359. 



