MELIAGEJE. 



479 



(juinquefid, with obtuse divisions, slightly quincuncially imbricate. 

 Witb them alternate five longer, obtuse, reflexed petals, tapering at 

 the base, whose prsefloration is generally contorted. Then comes an 

 androceum of ten stamens superposed, five to the sepals, and five to 

 the petals. The bilooular introrse anthers, dehiscent by two longi- 



Swieienia Mahogoni, 



Fig. 473. Longitudinal 

 section of flower. 



Fig. 471. Bud {\). Fig. 476. Dehiscent fruit. Fig. 474. Flower, with Fig. 475. 



perianth removed. Flower, -with 

 perianth and 

 androceum 

 removed. 



tudinal clefts, are inserted near the upper orifice of an urceolate sack 

 formed by the union of the monadelphous filaments, and in the in- 

 terval of the ten projecting teeth into which the urceolate edge is 

 cut. This contains the free and superior gynaeceum formed of an 

 ovary surrounded by a circular or obscurely crenulate disk, and sur- 

 mounted by a style whose summit is dilated to a large stigmatiferous 

 mass with five lobes separated by radiating grooves. In the internal 

 angle of each ovarian cell, superposed to a petal, are found numerous 

 anatropal descendent ^ ovules, arranged in two vertical series. The 

 fruit is a nearly ovoid ^ septicidal capsule, whose five bilaminate 

 valves are separated above and below by a thick columella, dilated 

 below into five short wings, and loaded with numerous seeds, imbri- 



' A douhle coat. 



2 Slightly compressed in one direction. 



