Ccelosteffia.] xxvi. malvace^. (Maxwell T. Masters.) 853 



1. C. Griffithil, Benth. in Benth. & Book. Gen. PI. i. 213. 

 MArAOOA, Oriffith. ■ " 



Leaves 2 j-3 in., glabrous, acuminate, liase rounded ; petiole J in, Flowers i in. 

 diam., produced from the old wood, covered with scales. 



Order XXVII. STERCULIACE.a:. (ByMaxwellT.Masters,F.E.S.) 



Herbs, sLrubs (rarely climbing), or trees, herbaceous portions usually 

 more oi; less pubescent. Bark usually abounding in mucilage, inner 

 fibrous. Leaves alternate, simple, lobed or digitate, stipulate. Inflorescence 

 axillary or terminal, usually cymose. Flowers regular, uni- or bisexual, 

 iSeaaZ* 5, more or less connate, rarely completely so. Petals 5 or 0. Andrcecium 

 columnar or tubular, of maiiy Stamens, ot rarely stamens few, free ; anthers 

 in heads, or in a single ring at the apex of the column, or dispersed on the 

 outside of the tube, or arranged along the edge of a cup or tube, with intervene 

 ing staminodes or sterile stamens ; anther-cells always 2, parallel or divergent, 

 Ovary free, 2-5-celIed, rarely of 1 carpel, sessile or stalked : styles consoli- 

 dated, or as many as the cells of the ovary. Ovules many or few, attached to 

 the inner angle of the carpels, anatropous, ascending or horizoutal, raphe 

 ventral or lateral. i'Vmi dry or fleshy, dehiscent or indehiscent. Seeds some- 

 times arillate, albuminous or exalbuminous ; cotyledons leafy, flat, folded or 

 convolute, radicle pointing in various directions in different species. — 

 DiSTKiB. Abundant in the tropics of either hemisphere and in subtropical 

 Africa and Australia. Genera 40-45 ; species between 500 and 600, largely 

 represented in India and its islands, to which 2 or 3 genera and numerous 

 species are peculiar. 



Tribe I. Sterculiese. Flowers unisexual or polygamous. PMs 0. 

 Andrcecium columnar or sessile ; anthers clustered or disposed in a ring. 



* Anthers numerous. 

 Ovary with 2 or more OTules in each cell ; fruit dehiscent . . . 1. Sterotjua. 

 Ovarian cells 1-ovuled ; fruit indehiscent ...,,... 2, Takkietia. 



** Anthers 5, whorled ; fruit indehiscent. 



3. HHKITIERA, 



Tribe II. KelicteresB. Flowers hermaphrodite. Petals deciduous. An- 

 droscium columnar below, dilated above into a cup, on the margin of which 

 are placed the anthers usually alternating with staminodes. 



Anthers sessile 4. Eeevesia. 



Anthers stipitate. 



Capsule membranous, inflated 5. KuiiNHoyiA. 



Capsule more or less woody, not inflated. 



Anther-cells divaricate ; seeds not winged 6. Heliotekbs. 



Anther-cells parallel ; seeds winged 7. Ptekospehmum. 



Tribe III. Erlolaeneee. Flowers hermaphrodite. Petals deciduous. 

 Andrxckim tubular, conical, antheriferous for nearly its whole length; 

 staminodes 0. 



8. EniOLiENA. 



Tribe rV. DomfteyeaB. i^Yowew hermaphrodite. PetoZs flat, persistent. 

 Andrcecium tubular, antheriferous at the margin ; anthers solitary or in 

 groups, alternating with staminodes, 



VOL. I. A A 



