ONAGRARUCEjE. 497 



deciduous. Petals 4, more rarely 3, alternate, inserted in incrassate 

 gkndulose throat, equal or slightly unequal. Stamens double the 

 petals in number, 2-seriate ; filaments free, declinate, sometimes in- 

 creased within at base by a scale of varying shape (a process of the 

 disk) ; anthers linear-oblong, introrse. Germen inferior, 4- or more 

 rarely 3-locular ; cells complete or oftener incomplete ; style slender, 

 oftener deflexed, at apex stigmatose 4-lobed or 4-partite and girt 

 with an annular or obconical indusium. Ovules in cells 1, 2, de- 

 scending; funicle rather long; micropyle at first superior and introrse. 

 Fruit 3-4-gonal, incompletely 3-4-locular, woody, coriaceous or 

 slightly drupaceous, at apex sometimes 3-4-fissus. Seeds 1, or few, 

 descending; testa membranous; albumen oftener scanty fleshy; 

 cotyledons of rather thick embryo straight, undulate or complicate. 

 — Perennial or annual herbs, sometimes subshrubby, glabrous or 

 pilose; leaves alternate, petiolate or sessile, entire or dentate; 

 flowers in terminal sometimes capitate racemes or spikes. ( Warm 

 North America.) — See p. 471. 



11 ?Heterogaura Eothr. — Flowers, nearly of Gaura (smaller); 

 receptacle obconical, scarcely produced above germen. Sepals 4, 

 valvate. Petals 4, unguiculate. Stamens 8-10, not appendiculate 

 at base, in pairs or singly opposite sepals and petals ; the oppositi- 

 petalous often sterile ; anthers cordato-lanceolate effete ; anthers of 

 fertile alternipetalous ovate subcordate. Germen 4-locular; style 

 simple, at apex stigmatose dilated, not indusiate. Ovules in cells. 1 

 (of Gaura). Fruit ovoid gibbous, 2-4-loeular, by abortion 1-2- 

 spermous. Other characters of Gaura. — An erect • annual herb ; 

 leaves alternate ; the lower petiolate, entire or sinuate ; flowers in 

 terminal racemes. {California.) — See p. 472. 



1 2. Gongylocarpus Cham, and Schlchtl. — Flowers 4f-merous ; 

 receptacle at base enclosing adnate germen and there adnate to branch 

 or leaf, above germen far produced to slender cylindrical tube. 

 Sepals 4, inserted at top of tube, valvate. Petals same in number 

 alternate, contorted. Stamens 8, 2-seriate; the 4 oppositipetalous 

 shorter; anthers ovate introrse. Germen 2-3-locular; style thin 

 girt at base with epigynous disk, at apex stigmatose capitate. Ovules 

 in cells 1, descending; micropyle introrsely superior, finally lateral. 

 Fruit subdrupaceous adnate to branch and petiole, turbinate or sub- 

 globose, finally dry; putamen 2-3-locular. Seed exalbuminous ; 

 cotyledons o'f straight embryo flat; radicle superior. — An annual 

 VOL. VI. 32 



