50 NATURAL HISTORY OF PLANTS. 



we propose this addition, we much reduce the number of other genera 

 and even that of the tribes. Burandea and 8arcotheca, better known, 

 and made sections of the genus Hugonia, serve as a connection between 

 HugoniecB and Ixonanthece, hence made one ; and Hebepetalum itself, 

 connected to the old Hugonias by means of oceanic species, disappear 

 from the group Erythroxylece. On the other hand we have united 

 Phyllocosmus to Ochthocosmus ; and in the . series Line(e we have, 

 after the example of some authors, ancient and modern, attached to 

 Linum as sub-genera, Reinwardtia, Cathartolinwm, and Radiola, 

 thus reducing the total number of genera in Linacece to eight, sub- 

 divided into four series, whose general characters are as follow : 



1. LiNEiE. — Corolla contorted and fugacious. Two verticels of 

 stamens, only one of which is fertile, with alternate pieces. Fruit 

 capsular, septioidal, or dry, indehiscent, monospermous. Herbaceous 

 or suffrutescent plants. — 2 genera. 



2. HuGONiB^. — Corolla contorted or imbricated. Two or more 

 verticels of stamens, all fertile, hypogynous {Euhugoniece\ or slightly 

 perigynous [Ixonantheoe). Fruit drupaceous, with several stones. 

 Trees or shrubs, sometimes climbing and often provided with hooks, 

 leaves alternate with lateral stipules or none.' — 3 genera. 



3. Erythroxtle^. — CoroUa contorted or imbricated, with petals 

 lined inside with a well developed prominent rib, or oftener with 

 a superior bilobed appendage. Two verticels of stamens all fertile. 

 Ovary plurilocular, almost always with only one fertile cell. Fruit 

 drupaceous, with mesocarp often thin, and one stone uni- or pluri- 

 locular. Shrubs with alternate or opposite leaves, with intra-axillary 

 or interpetiolar stipules. — 2 genera. 



4. HouMiRiE^. — Corolla contorted or imbricated, with free petals, 

 non-appendiculate. Stamens lO-oo , all fertUe or partly sterile; 

 anthers with connective often thick, pyramidal, or conical, with 

 cells often but little developed at the base. Disk hypogynous of 

 varied form. Ovary with several fruitful cells. Fruit drupaceous, 

 with plurilocular stone very thick. Trees and shrubs with alternate 

 exstipulate leaves. — 1 genus. 



Thus limited, this family contains about a hundred and seventy- 

 five species, of which more than eighty belong to the Lineoe series, and 

 some fifty to Erythroxylem. The Houmiriece, containing some twenty 

 species, would be entirely American, if one had not been recently 



