450 NATURAL HISTORY OP PLANTS. 



anthers short, 2-tIymous. Germen free, shortly stipate hence eccen- 

 trically inserted a little above the base of the tube, somewhat 

 obliquely compressed, by abortion 1 -locular ; style slender, at apex 

 stigmatose simple, generally not dilated. Ovules few (often 4), in- 

 serted 2-seriateiy on parietal placenta, ascending; micropyle extrorsely 

 inferior. Fruit capsular membranous, enclosed in receptacle, few- 

 seeded. Seeds 1-4, ascending ; testa coriaceous ; cotyledons of sub- 

 clavate embryo plano-convex, auriculate at base; radicle inferior 

 rather thick. — Herbs or shrubs divaricately rimose ; leaves opposite, 

 linear or lanceolate, coriaceous rigid, often venose, sharp pointed ; 

 flowers spicate ; bracts sub-4-seriate, imbricate, oftener l-florous ; 

 bracteoles sometimes rigid, often inserted higher under the flower.i 



3. Nessea Commees.^ — Flowers (nearly of Lythrum) regular ; re- 

 ceptacle much shorter subcampanulate or obconical straight, externally 

 8-14-costate ; sepals 4--7, 3-angular-valvate ; accessory teeth same in 

 number narrower. Petals 4-7 (of Lythrum). Stamens 8-14, inserted 

 2-seriately in receptacular tube ; filaments slender exserted ; anthers 

 introrse, various in form.* Germen free, 2-6-locular ; style slender 

 flexuose exserted, at apex stigmatose capitate. Ovules in cells. oo, 

 inserted on placenta in internal angle oo -seriate. Fruit capsular, 

 enclosed in receptacle, loculicidally 2-6-valvate ; valves septiferous, 

 finally solute from placenta. Seeds oo ; testa coriaceous ; cotyledons 

 of exalbuminous embryo plano-convex. Other characters of Lythrum. 

 — Herbs or undershrubs; branches 4-gonal; leaves opposite or 3-nate; 

 entire; flowers^ in axils of leaves or bracts inserted in terminal 

 raceme solitary or oftener cymose ; peduncles sometimes more or 

 less highly 2-bracteolate.^ ( Warm America and Africa J) 



' A genus scarcely distinguishable from * Either oblong or 2-dymous. " Pollen (ex 



Lythrum. H. MoHL, Ann. Sc. Nat. ser. 2, iii. 331) eUipsoid 



2 Spec. 3, 4. Coll. PI. Chil.X 14 [Lythrum). 3-pKoate, but in water spherical, 3-banded." 

 Hook, and Akw. Bot. Misc. i. 225, t. 3. — P(epp. ' Often yellow, sometimes purple or bluish, 



et Endl. Nov. Gen. et Sp. ii. 67, 1. 193.— C. Gay, « Sect, in gen. 3 (B. H.) : 1. Decodon . stem 



Fl. Chil. ii. 3'69. — Walp. Jiep. ii. 105 ; Ann. ii. herbaceous ; inflorescence corymbiform, oo -flo- 



540; iv. 689. rous; petals purple ; stamens 10 [North Amer.) . 



■■• Ex J. Gen. 332. — DC. Mem. Soe. Gen. iii. p. — 2. Meimia : peduncles l-florous ; bracteoles 



ii. 74; Frodr. iii. 90. — Endl. Gen. u. 6147. — B. under calyx 2; petals yeUow ; stamens oftener 



H. Gen. 779, n. 12.— H. Bn. Payer Fam. Nat. 12; stem subshrubby {Amer. Trap. Afr.).—3. 



354. — Decodon Gmbl. Syst. Veg. 677. — DC. .B««»«S(Ea .• peduncles 3-qo -florous, 2-bracteate at 



Prodr. ui. 90. — Seimia Link et Ott. Jo. PI. 63, base ; terminal 2-bracteolate ; stem herbaceous 



t. 28. — DG. Prodr. iii. S9. — St Acs, Suit, a Buf on, or subshrubby; flowers purple or sometimes 



iv. 428.— Baker, Fl. Maurit. 100. — Chrysoliga bluish (Trap. A fr. Malacca). 

 W. (ex DC.).— Gimritt Sess. et M09. (exDC), ' Spec. 10-12. Hook. Icon. t. 654.— Tobr. Fl 



notJAca. — Toli/peuma'E.M.EY.(ex'EiiDh.loc.cit.) New Tork, i. t. 28. — Wight, Icon. t. 259. — 



