40 tiliacejE. [Tiliacea. 



Ordek XX. TILIACE-ffi. 



Sepals 5 or rarely 4, free or rarely united in a lobed calyx, valvate in the 

 bud. Petals as many, imbricate in the bud, or sometimes none. Stamens 

 indefinite or rarely twice the number of petals, hypogyuous, free or united in 

 bundles at the base. Anthers terminal, 3-celled. Ovary free, 3- to 10-celled, 

 ■with several or rarely a single ovule in each cell. Style entire or divided at 

 the top into as many lobes as cells of the ovaiy, or sometimes the stigma is 

 sessile on the ovary. Fruit dry or succulent, indehiscent or with a locuUcidal 

 dehiscence, or rarely separating into coflfci. Seeds usually albuminous, with 

 a straight embryo and leafy cotyledons. Badicle next the hilum. — Trees, 

 shrubs, or rarely herbs. Leaves alternate, undivided, with pinnate or palmate 

 nerves. Stipules usually small and deciduous, rarely wanting. Flowers 

 usually hermaphrodite. 



A considerable Order, cliiefly tropical, with a very few species in the temperate regions of 

 the northern hemisphere. 



Herbs or undershrnbs. Flowers nearly sessile, solitary or clustered. 

 Stigma sessile or nearly so. Ovules several in each ceU. Capsule 



dehiscent ]. Coechoeus. 



Style distinct. Ovules 2 in each cell. CapsiJe echinate, indehiscent, 



or separating into cocei 2. Tkiumfetta. 



Trees or shrubs. Flowers umbellate or racemose. 



Petals entire. Flowers umbellate 3. Geewia. 



Petals lobed or fringed. Flowers racemose 4. El^eocaepus. 



1. COBCHORTJS, Linn. 



Sepals 5, rarely 4. Stamens indefinite or rarely 10, free. Ovary 3- to 



5-celled, with several ovules in each cell. Stigma sessile, or on a very short 



style. Capsule either long and naiTow or nearly globular, opening locu- 



licidally in as many valves as cells.— Herbs or undershrnbs. Flowers small, 



yellow, solitai-y or few together, on very short axillai-y peduncles. 



A genus of several species, widely dispersed over the troijical regions of both the New and 

 the Old World. 



Pubescent or hairy. Capsule elongated, 3-pointed and usually 3-wiuged 1. C. aoutanffitlus. 



Glabrous. Capsule nearly globular, warty, 5-furrowed 2. C. capsularis. 



1. C. acutangulus. Lam. ; W. and Am. Prod. M. Penins. i. 73; Wight, 

 Jet. 739. An erect annual about 2 ft. high more or less pubescent or haiiy. 

 Leaves stalked, ovate or ovate-lanceolate, about 3 in. long, sen-ate, the two 

 lowest teeth usually ending in long points ; the lower leaves often smaU and 

 nearly orbicular. Stipules subulate. Flowers smaU, yellow, ) or 3 together, 

 almost sessile in the axils of the leaves. Capsule nearly cyUndrical, f to 1 in. 

 long, 6-nbbed, 3 of the ribs usually expanded into nai-row wings, terminating 

 in 3 entu-e or bifid points or horns, 3-celled inside. 



In waste and cultivated places, diampion and others. A common weed within the tropics, 

 ana more especially m India. 



3. C. capsularis, Linn.; W. and Am. Prod. Fl. Penins. i. 73; Wight, 

 Ic. t. 311. An erect annual, 1 to 3 feet high like the last, but quite glabrous. 

 Leaves similar but narrower, from ovate-lanceolate to lanceolate, 3 to 3 in. 

 long F owers as mO. acutangulua. Capsule nearly globular or melon-shaped, 

 .about 4 Imes diameter, S-ceHed, marked outside with 10 longitudinal fiirrows, 

 and covered with warty excrescences. 



