478 NATURAL HISTORY OF PLANTS. 
at base, extrorse; anthers all 2-locellate; connective different in 
stamens of each row ; staminodes 3, quite interior oppositipetalous, 
3-angular or gland-like, sessile or stipitate. Germen inserted in 
bottom of receptacle, included ; ovule 1 descending ; style short ; apex 
stigmatiferous, sometimes depressed. Fruit membranous, included 
in thickened fleshy receptacle with constricted mouth crowned by 
remains of perianth and (often) androceum. Seed subglobular ; 
embryo thick fleshy; cotyledons hemispherical ;’ radicle short 
superior.—Parasitic leafless herbs ; scales representing leaves remote 
alternate ; stem and branches filiform terete, clinging to other plants 
by rows of papilliform or patelliform suckers. Flowers in rarely 
capitate terminal simple or compound racemes or more frequently 
spikes ; bracts alternate 1l-flowered; bractlets 2, lateral sterile; 
upper flowers sometimes 1-sexual (4 parts of the Tropics). See 
p. 440. 
VI. GYROCARPEA. 
49. Gyrocarpus Jacg.—Flowers polygamous; receptacle urceo- 
late with contracted mouth in female and hermaphrodite flowers ; 
subconcave in males. Perianth 4-10-leaved ; 2 leaves larger than 
rest in hermaphrodites and females. Stamens 3-6, inserted along 
with perianth; filaments free, 2-4 possessing 1 or 2 subclavate 
glands at base; anthers basifixed dilated-compressed 2-locellate ; 
Jocelli introrse submarginal valvate. Germen (rudimentary in male 
flower) included in receptacle, l-celled; ovule 1, descending from 
nearly apex of cell, anatropous ; style slender; apex capitate stigma- 
tiferous. Fruit included in drupaceous receptacle, crowned at apex 
by 2 subopposite sepals accrete into a long-spathulate erect mem- 
branous-woody wing; mesocarp thin. Embryo exalbuminous fleshy ; 
radicle short superior ; cotyledons 2, broad petiolate spirally convo- 
lute around plumule and tigellum.—Trees or shrubs, some climbing ; 
leaves alternate petiolate digitiveined simple, entire or lobed, or 
more rarely 3-foliolate; flowers in much-branched corymboid or 
panicled racemes of crowded cymes, pedicel bracteate (America, 
Australia, tropical Asia). See p. 442. 
50. Sparattanthelium Marr.—Flowers polygamous, nearly of 
1 [Consolidated when mature, simulating albumen, See Benru., FU. Austr., v. 308.] 
