538 



CXXXVIII. EBENACBiE. 



Fruit with persistent calyx 

 imag.). 



Vertical section of fruit 

 (mag.). 



Diospyros. 



Transverse section of fruit 



(mag.). 



Vertical section of s 

 (mag.). 



Corolla monopetalous, hypogynous, regula/r, S-7-lobed, cBstivation imbricate. 

 Stamens inserted on the corolla or receptacle, equalling the corolla-lobes, or double or 

 quadruple in rm/mber. Ovary /ree, of ma/ay Tt-i-ovuled cells; ovules pendulous, ana- 

 tropous. Pexjit a berry. BmbeTO albuminous ; radicle superior. 



Trees or shrubs with dense often very hard and black wood. Leaves alter- 

 nate, coriaceous, entire, exstipulate. Flowers rarely § , usually dioecious (ovary of 

 $ rudimentary, stamens of ? imperfect or 0) ; $ in many-flowered cymes ; ? one- 

 flowered by arrest of the lateral flowers ; pedicels jointed at the top. Calyx 3-6-fid, 

 sub-equal, persistent. Corolla inserted on the receptacle, monopetalous, deciduous, 

 urceolate, coriaceous, usually pubescent outside, glabrous within; limb 3-6-fid, 

 aestivation imbricate-convolute. Stamens inserted at the bottom of the corolla, or 

 sometimes on the receptacle, double the corolla-lobes in number, rarely quadruple, 

 very rarely equal (Maba), and then alternate with them ; filaments free, or united in 

 pairs below ; anthers introrse, 2-celled, basifixed, lanceolate, dehiscence longitudinal. 

 Ovary sessile, 3-many-celled ; style rarely simple ; stigmas simple or 2-fid ; ovules 

 solitary in each cell, or geminate, pendulous from the top of the inner angle of the 

 cell, anatropous, raphe external. Berry globose or ovoid, more or less succulent, 

 usually few-seeded from arrest. Seeds inverted ; testa membranous. Embryo axile, 

 or oblique in a cartilaginous albumen, which is twice as long as the embryo ; cotyledons 

 fo]iaceous,.oval, nearly equal in length to the superior radicle. 



* Diospyros. 



PEINCIPAL GENERA. 

 * Royena. Euclea. 



Maba. 



EbenacecR were fomierly united to Styracea: in both the corolla is 3-7-lobed, the stamens" numerous 

 and fascicled, the ovary many-celled, the fruit fleshy, the embryo albuminous and axile, the stem arbo- 

 rescent, the leaves alternate and flowers axillary ; but Styracece difier in their racemed flowers, epigynous 

 or perigynous corolla, semi-inferior or inferior ovary, more numerous ovules, and fleshy albumen. The 

 affinity of Ebenacem with Oleinece is founded on the hypogynous and regular corolla, many-celled ovary, 

 geminate pendulous anatropous ovulpsj berried fruit, straight albuminous axile embryo, and woody stem. 

 Oleinece differ in the [more or less] valvate sestivation of the coroUa, fleshy albumen, and opposite leaves. 

 EhenacecB approach Ilicinece in the hypogyny and sestivation of the corolla, many 1-ovuled ovarian cells, 

 pendulous anatropous ovule, fleshy fruit, straight albuminous embryo, woody stem, and alternate leaves ; 

 but in Ilwinece the corolla is nearly polypetalous and isostemonous ; the fruit is a drupe, the embryo is 

 minute at the top of the fleshy albumen, and the leaves are persistent. Planchon recognizes a certain 

 relationship between Ebenacets and Camelliacece : they agree in the insertion and aestivation of the 



