134 



NATURAL HISTORY OF PLANTS. 



filament inserted at the centre of the flower and of a short extrorse 

 anther, with two cells adnate to the edges of a vertical connective, 

 and dehiscing by two longitudinal clefts.^ There is no trace of a 



Exc(ecaHa [Sapimn) Lawocermus. 



Fig. 210. Young- male bud (|). Fig. 211. Long. sect, of male bud. 



gynseceum, as in the female flower we see no trace of the male 

 organ. The gynseceum alone is found within the sepals, formed of an 

 ovary with three cells alternating with them, and surmounted by a 

 M^caria[AdenopeUis) stylc whosc three revolute branches are charged 

 within with stigmatic papillae. In the inner 

 angle of each cell is inserted a descendent ana- 

 tropous ovule, with exterior and superior micro- 

 pyle, capped by an obturator. The fruit is 

 capsular, dehiscing in three bi-valve and mono- 

 spermous shells ; and the exariUate seed contains 

 under its coats an abundant fleshy albumen at 

 the centre of which is an embryo 

 with foliaceous cotyledons much 

 larger than the superior cylindri- 

 cal radicle. 



In certain species of Exccecaria, 

 such as E. Lastellei,'^ the number 

 of stamens may be as many as 

 Fig. 212. Inflorescence (f). Fig. 213. Male flower, seven or eight, all the Other cha- 

 racters remaining the same. In those distinguished under the name 

 of Maprounea^ (fig. 207-209), the two stamens have their filaments 

 united to a great height in a long column, and the common part of 



• The pollen there, wbere it is known, is that 

 of the JEuphorbiacea in general, almost spheri- 

 cal or ovoid, with bands or folds generally three 

 in number. 



2 Anomos'.achys H. Bn. Ettphorli. 625. 



' ^V3h. Guian. 895, t. 342.— J. Qen. 391.— 

 A. Jtjss. Euphorb. 64, t. 17.— A. S. H. PI. Us. 

 Bras. t. 66.— Endl. Gen. n. 5769. — M. Akg. 

 Prodr. 1190. — ^goprkon L. Suppl, 413. 



