616 



CLXXIII. VBRBENACE^. 



Corolla hypogynous, monopetalous, irregular, anisostemonous, CBstivation imbrir 

 cate. Stamens inserted on the corolla, usually 4 didynamous, or 2. Ovaet 2-4-8- 

 eelled, cells 1-2-ovuled ; ovules erect or ascending ; style terminal. Feuit fleshy. 

 Emeeto scarcely or not albuminous ; eadiclb inferior. 



Herbaceous or woody plants, stems and branches usually 4-gonous. Leav<es 

 generally opposite, sometimes wborled, very rarely alternate {Dipyrena, Amazonia), 

 simple or compound, exstipulate. Flowees ? , irregular, rarely sub-regular, in a 

 spike, raceme, head, or cyme, rarely solitary, usually bracteate. Caltx monosepalous, 

 persistent, tubular ; limh partite or toothed. Coeolla hypogynous, monopetalous, 

 tabular; limb 4-5-fid, usually unequal and labiate, rarely regular {Tectona, Calli- 

 carpa, ^giphila), EBstivation imbricate. Stamens inserted on the corolla-tube or 

 throat, generally 4, didynamous by arrest of the fifth, sometimes 2 by arrest of the 3 

 upper, very rarely 5 fertile {Tectona) ; anthers 2-celled, sometimes diverging, dehis- 

 cence longitudinal, Ovaet free, composed of 2-4 carpels, 2-4-8 - celle d ; style 

 terminal, simple ; stigma usually undivided ; ovules solitary or geminate in each cell, 

 sometimes erect and anatropous, pr ascending and semi-anatropous, rarely reversed 

 {RolmsJcioldia). Fetjit a drupe or berry; drupe with 2-3-4 1^2-Gelled pyrenes, 

 usually separating from the epicarp when ripe ; lerriee 2-4-celled, sometimes 1-celled 

 by arrest. Seeds solitary in each cell, erect or ascending. Embeto exalbuminous 

 or sub-exalbuminous, straight ; cotyledons foliaceous ; radicle inferior. 



[The following subdivisions of the order are those of Schauer iij De Candolle's 

 ' Prodromus,' and are followed by Bentham as beirjg more natural than any subse- 

 quently proposed : — 



Tbibe I. VjsebenBjE. — Inflorescenoe indeflijite. Ovules erect, anatropous, 



Ovules 2 in eapli cell. 

 Sub-tribe 1. Spielmanniej;. — (Cape of Good Hope.) Spiehnannia, 



Ovules 1 in each cell. 

 Sub-tribe 2. Monochileji. — Racemes lax. Calyx sub-2-lipped. Corolla 1-lipped. Drupe. 

 (Brazil.) Monochilus. 



Sub-tribe 3. CASSELLiEiE. — Eaccmes axillary, few-fid. Calyx tubular. CoroUa infundi- 

 buliform. Drupe. (Tropical America.) Gassellia, Tamonia. 



Sub-tribe 4. VBEBENEiE. — Flowers capitate, rapemed or spiked. Calyx campanulate or 



