162 NATURAL HISTORY OF PLANTS. 



either quite free {Aphora),^ or variously connate -with, petals and 

 androceum, or closely claspiug the androceum column at base ( Crozo- 

 phora). Stamens 10, 2-verticillate, or more rarely 3-5, oppositi- 

 petalous, sometimes 11-15, 3-verticillate, all inserted on central 

 column iu verticUs higher than perianth; filaments beyond free; 

 anthers erect introrse or extrorse {Crosophoro)^ 2-rimose. Germen rudi- 

 mentary placed between filaments at the summit of the column, some- 

 times more evolute ( Caperonia ^), entire or 3-5 -partite oftener minute 

 or 0. Female calyx 4-5-merous imbricated or valvate, sometimes 

 small or subsimilar to sepals {Crozophora), sometimes 0. Glands hypo- 

 gynous, alterni-petalous free or coalescing, sometimes connate in 

 TU'ceolate disk (SperansMa) more rarely miuute or 0. Germen 3-locular, 

 sometimes surrounded by minute staminodes ^ ( Crozophora) ; ovule soli- 

 tary ia cell ; micropyle extorse superior,* capped by thin obturator ; 

 style branches 3, more or less, sometimes high, and once or several 

 times 2- oo-fid or lacinate, stigmatiferous at apex. Capsule 3-coccous, 

 seed subglobose exarUlate ; external coat soft, sometimes relaxed ; 

 testa outwardly smooth or tuberculate. — Annual or perennial herbs, 

 undershrubs or shrubs ; juice often purple. ( Crozophora, Argythamnia, 

 Chiropetalum) ; fragrance sometimes of Melilotus [Philyra) ; parts 

 glabrous or pilose ; hairs simple, ramified, stellate or lepidote ; stem 

 and branches unarmed or variously aculeate {Caperonia), sometimes 

 spinescent; leaves alternate, petiolate or subsessile, penninerved 

 sub-3-pliaerved at base, entire, dentate, sinuate, or lobate, base 

 below 2 -glandular, and at margin sometimes pauciglandular ; stipules 

 small, herbaceous or glanduliform, sometimes {Philyra) changed 

 into spines. Flowers^ 9 in axillary and terminal racemes, 1- or 2- 

 sexual, solitary in the axil of each' bract of the raceme or few cymose ; 

 female iuferior ; others rather more numerous male. {Mediterranean 

 regions, West India, North China, warm Eastern and Western Africa, 

 tropical and subtropical America, North and. South.) 



1 NuTT. in Trans. Am. Phil. Soc. n. eer. v. of sutperigynous nature. 



m.—Serophyton Benth. Sulph. 52. — Endl. ■* Nucleus at apex much dilated complanate. 



Gen. Suppl. v. 90. — Stenmia Dide. PI. Norm. ^ Small, often imbued with a blackish colour. 



Vniv. Hafn. (1857), 24 (nee H. Bn.). « Spec, about 52. H. B. K. Nov. Oen. et Spec. 



^ A. S. B.. PI. Hem. JBres. 2i4: ; ia Mem. Mtis. vii. 169, t. 639 {Ditaxis). —Kail, et Kik. 



xii. 343. — Endl. Gen. n. 5831.— H. Bn. in Sull. Soo. Imp. Nat. Mosc. (1842), 446 



Euphorb. 299. — M. Akg. Prodr. 751. — Schinza {Crozophora). — Kl. in Hook. Jomii. ii. 50 



Dennst. Hort. Malab. 7 (ex Endl.). — Cavanilla {Caperonia). — Pkesl, Epimel. 213 {Caperonia). — 



Vellos. Fl. Flum. v. t. 102. — lepidocroton Gruvs. eiOrODV-Fl. de Fr.'^. 100 {Crozopliora). 



FssSL, Epimel. 213.— Lef>iclococcaTvB.cz.iD.Bull. — Schweihp. PL Nil. 9 {Crozophora). H. Bn. 



Soc. Mosc. (1848), 588. — Androphoranthus in Adansonia, i. 67, 245 {Crozophora) ; iv. 269 



Kakst. Fl. Columb. ii. 15, t. 101. {Ditaxis), 288 {Argythamnia, Chiropetalum). 



' Sometimes subinferior at base on account 



