444 



GUI. LOASE^. 



placentas ; style simple, 

 filiform or trigonous ; 

 stigma undivided or 3-4- 

 fid ; ovules usually numer- 

 ous, pendulous, anatropous. 

 Capsule contorted or 

 cylindric, tunicate by the 

 receptacular cupule (often 

 foliiferous), which some- 

 times only adheres by its 

 nerves, and crowned by 

 the calyx, rarely fleshy- 

 and indehiscent, usually 

 opening at the top, or 

 throughout its length by 

 3-5 valves alternating with 

 the placentas, which adhere 

 to it, or finally separate, 

 and represent alternate 

 valves narrower than the 

 true ones, and semi-semi- 

 niferous. Seeds usually numerous, pendulous, funicles short ; iesio. loose, reticulate ; 

 endopleura membranous. Embryo straight, in the axis of a fleshy albumen, and 

 nearly equalling it in length; cotyledons flat, small; radicle cylindric, longer than 



the cotyledons, superior. 



PEINCIPAL GENEEA. 



*Mentzelia. * Bartonia. * Loaaa. Oajophora. [Gronovia]. 



Loasece approach Passi/lorets (see this family). Like CucurUtacece, they are generally climhers, with 

 palmilobed leaves ; their ovary is inferior and one-celled, with parietal placentation ; the ovules are 

 numerous and anatropous ; but Cucurhitacece have definite stamens, extrorse and usually syngenesious 

 anthers, diclinous 'flowers, tendrils, an exalbuminous embryo and corolla, imbricate in bud. The same 

 affinity exists between Loasece and Oronoviea,'^ which again are separated by their pentandrous andrcecium 

 [ Cevallia and other Loasecs are pentandrous], the fleshy ring crowning the ovary, their dry fruit, which 

 is a nucule, and their exalbuminous seed. Loasece have also an affinity with Tumeracea, in the con- 

 torted ffistivation, one-celled ovary, parietal placentation, numerous anatropous ovules, capsular fruit, and 

 straight albuminous axile embryo ; but in Tumeraceee the ovary is free, the stamens definite, the valves 

 of the capsule are semi-plaoentiferous, and the stem is erect. 



Loaseos are all American, except the genus Fissmia, which is African. Most of them grow on the 

 slopes of the Cordilleras facing the Pacific Ocean, beyond the equator, but not in cold regions. The 

 species are little used, excepting Mentzelia hispida, which is a strong purgative, and employed by the 

 Mexicans in syphilitic affections. 



Bartonia aui'ea. 



' Gronoviece, alluded to in this work under Cmurbiiacew, conBiBts of one genus, which undoubtedly belongs to 

 Loasece, with the habit of CwcurbitaceiB, — ^Ed. 



