CXC. EL^AGNE^. 659 



included in the calyx-tube, free, sessile, 1-celled; style terminal, filiform, deci- 

 duous ; stigma fleshy, dilated, 3-4-crenate or -lobed ; ovule 1, pendulous from the top 

 of the cell, anatropous. Deupe large, spongy, ovoid, dry, 8-furrowed, or smooth, 

 included in the membranous calyx-tube. Seed sub-globose, inverted ; testa crusta- 

 ceous, raphe annular, albumen 0. Embryo orthotropous ; cotyledons large, fleshy, 

 lobed, torulose ; radicle short, superior. 



ONLY GENUS. 

 Hernandia. 



Hernandiecs are very nearly related to Laurinees (of whicli they may be regarded as a tribe) and 

 Thytnele<s, diflfering from both conspicuously in habit, from Lawinece in the structure of the anther, from 

 Thymelees in this, in wanting the tough bark, in the position of the style, and the 2-seriate perianth. The 

 few species are natives of tropical coasts. 



The wood of Hernandia is spongy, and used for floats and tinder ; the bark, leaves, &c., are purgatives, 

 and the juice is an active depilatory. — Ed.] 



CXC. EL^AGNEJE, 

 (EL.^AGNORTrM pars, Jussieu. — El^eagste^, Br. — EL^AGN'ACE.a;, Lindl.) 



Flowers 5 or dioecious or polygamous. Ve'RIANTK simple, herbaceous, or coloured 

 within. Stameits perigynous, double the number of the perianth-lobes, or equal and 

 alternate with them. Ovart free, 1-celled, 1-ovuled ; ovule ascending, anatropous. 

 Fruit included in the hardened perianth-tube. Seed erect ; albumen scanty. Embryo 

 straight, axile ; radicle inferior. 



Trees or shrubs, covered with scarious discoid silvery or brown scales which 

 are furnished at the margin with stellate hairs ; branches sometimes spinescent, 

 branchlets annual and deciduous, buds naked. Leaves alternate {Elmagnus, Hippo- 

 pha'e) or opposite {Shepherdia, Conuleum), simple, pennineryed, entire, shortly 

 petioled ; stipules 0. Flowers regular, 5 or dioecious or polygamous, solitary in 

 the axil of the leaves, or in spikes racemes or cymes, yellow or white, often scented ; 

 $ PL. : PERIANTH simple, herbaceous, composed of 2 antero-posterior sepals [Hippophae), 

 or of 4 sepals united at the base into a short tube {Shepherdia) ; ^ , $ fl. : perianth 

 tubular, scaly outside, often coloured within ; limb 2-fid {Hippophae) or 4-partite 

 {Shepherdia), or 4^6-fid {Eleeagnus), imbricate or valvate in sestivation, rarely conical 

 and entire {Conuleum). Disk lining the perianth-tube, and forming a glandular 

 ring at the throat {Elcpagnus, Shepherdia), sometimes dilated into a fleshy cone 

 traversed by the style aud longer than the perianth {Conuleum), sometimes 

 {Hippophae) . Stamens inserted on the torus, 4-8 (double the sepals) in the $ flowers, 

 and opposite and alternate with them ; equal and alternate with the perianth-lobes 

 in the g and polygamous flowers {JElceagnus) ; anthers erect, basi- or dorsi-fixed, cells 

 sub-opposite, parallel, introrse, dehiscence longitudinal ; pollen compressed, obscurely 

 .3-gonous. Ovary sessile, free within the accrescent perianth-tube, l-ceUed ; style 

 simple, erect, elongated, stigmatiferous on one side; ovule solitary, anatropous, 



una 



