XXXIV. DIPTEEOCAEPE^. 277 



ascending or horizontal placentas. Fruit indeliiscent, or opening gradually at its 

 base, loculicidal, valves semi-septiferous {Ruyschia). Seeds few, sunk in the fleshy 

 placentas, ascending, oblong ; testa areolate, hilum lateral, endopleura membranous. 

 Embryo exalbuminous, subclavate, straight or slightly arched ; cotyledons obtuse ; 

 radicle-long, conical, acute, near the hilum, inferior. 



GENEKA. 

 Ruyschia. Marcgravia. * Norantea. 



This little group is closely allied to the various tribes of Tenistrcemiacecs, and is considered one of 

 them hy Bentham and Hooker fil. Of these tribes, however, 1, Rhizoholea differ in their versatile anthers, 

 superior radicle, and opposite and digitate leaves ; 2, Ternstroimieis differ in their one-flowered peduncle ; 

 3, Sawau/ecs in their versatile anthers and copious albumen ; and others in their contorted petals and 

 septicidally dehiscing capsule,^ &c. Maregraviacece- are also distinguished by their sessile radiating 

 stigma, and especially by the singular conformation of their bracts, saccate in Marcgravia, and hooded in 

 Norantea. They are also very near Guttiferai, from which they are onlj' separated by their basiflxed 

 anthers, their alternate leaves, and their saccate bracts. 



Maregraviacece inhabit tropical America. The root, stem, and leaves of M. umbellata are renowned 

 West Indian diuretics and antisyphilitics. 



XXXIV. DIPJEROCARPEyE;' Blume. 



[Trees, rarely shrubs, often gigantic, exuding a resinous juice, rarely climbing 

 (Ancistrocladus). Leaves alternate, penninerved, quite entire, rarely . crenate ; 

 stipules small or large, caducous or persistent, sometimes sheathing and leaving an 

 annular scar on the branch. Flowers regular, 5 , often odorous, in axillary pani- 

 cles, ebracteate or with minute deciduous rarely large persistent bracts. Caltx 

 in flower free and campanulate, rarely short or adnate to the torus or base of the 

 ovary ; segments 6, imbricate when young, sometimes sub-valvate in age ; fruiting 

 calyx enlarged, segments unaltered, or 2 or all foliaceous or variously expanded. 

 Petals 5, strongly contorted, free or connate at the base. Stamens either oo oo - 

 seriate, or 15 2-seriate, or 10 in pairs, 5 exterior and 5 interior, or 5 or 10 1 -seriate, 

 inserted on a hypogynous or sub-perigynous torus ; filaments short, often dilated at the 

 base, free or connate at the base, or cohering with the petals ; anthers erect, 2-celled, 

 dehiscence introrse or lateral, cells equal or one smaller, connective sometimes 

 acuminate or aristate. Ovary inserted by a broad base or sub-immersed, 3- (rarely 

 1- or 2-)celled ; style subulate or thickened ; stigma simple or 3-lobed ; ovules in pairs, 

 pendulous or laterally attached, anatropous with superior micropyle and ventral 

 raphe, or 1 or more erect in the 1-celled ovaiy. Fruit free or adnate to the calyx, 

 1- (rarely 2-) seeded, indehiscent or at length 3-valved. Seed usually inverted, 

 rarely erect, testa thin, albumen 0; cotyledons either thick and equal or unequal, 

 straight or lobed and plaited, or thin and corrugated; radicle next the hilum, either 

 short and exserted, or long and included in a fold of the cotyledons. 



' This is an error: Qordoniece are loculicidal, and have imbricate petals like Marcgraviece. — Ed. 

 ' This order is omitted in the original. — Ed. 



