PHANEROGAMIA 



573 



usually simple and entire, more rarely lobed 

 or compound. The flowers are generally 

 small and in paniculate inflorescences ; they 

 have a small calyx and sometimes a synpetal- 

 ous, sometimes a choripetalous corolla ; in a 

 few species they are apetalous. The two 

 stamens constitute the most easily recognised 

 characteristic of the family. Each loculus of 

 the ovary contains two ovules. The fruit is 

 a capsule, a dry indehiscent fruit, a berry or 

 a drupe. Many species contain mannite. 



Representative Genera. — Fraxinus 

 (Ash), with pinnate leaves ; Ligustrum 

 (Privet), Olea (Olive), Syringa (Lilac), Jas- 

 mmum (Jessamine). 



Geographical Distribution. — The 

 family Oleaceae is chiefly represented in Asia. 

 Several species are familiar as ornamental 

 plants, e.g. the different species of Lilac 

 {Syringa vulgaris, from South - Eastern 

 Europe ; S. chinensis, S. persica), Jessamine 



Fig. 555. — Gentia-na lutea. a and b, 

 Flower-buds (nat. size), showing calyx 

 (a) and twisted corolla (b) ; c, trans- 

 verse sectiOTi of ovary. — Officinal. 

 (After Berg and Schmidt.) 



Fig. 556. — Erythraea, Centaurivm. 1, Apex of 

 flowering shoot ; 2, a flower cut through 

 longitudinally ; 3, anther ; 4, fruit ; 5, 

 transverse section of fruit.— Officinal. 

 (After Wossidlo.) 



Fig. 557. — Vinca minor. 1, Apex of flowering 

 shoot; 2, flower-bud cut through longi- 

 tudinally ; 3, a stamen ; 4, pistil. (After 

 Wossidlo.) 



(Jasminum grandiflorum, etc.), Forsythia viridissima, etc. 



2 X 



The most important 



