MANUAL OF NATURAL HISTORY. 463 



small scale at the base ; stamens ten, mona- 

 delphous; ovary 3-celled; styles three, distinct 

 or united; stigmas three, capitate; ovules 

 sessile, pendulous; fruit drupaceous, 1 -seeded; 

 embryo straight ; albumen sometimes none. 

 Natives of South America and the West 

 Indies ; but occur sparingly also in the East 

 Indies, the Isle of France, Madagascar, and 

 in New Holland. 



2. Family. — Matyighiads (Malpighiacese). Trees 



or shrubs ; leaves mostly opposite, stipulate ; 

 hairs, when present, peltate ; inflorescence 

 variable ; flowers unisexual or bisexual, 

 mostly red or yellow; calyx 5-partite ; per- 

 sistent, aestivation usually quincuncial ; 

 petals five, aestivation convolute; stamens 

 generally ten, often monadelphous ; ovary of 

 three carpels, more or less combined ; ovules 

 with a long pendulous cord ; styles three, dis- 

 tinct or united ; stigmas three, simple ; fruit 

 drupaceous, nut like, or samaroid ; embyro 

 convolute. Tropical plants, mostly South 

 American and West Indian, occur also in 

 Africa, Arabia, India, China, and Polynesia. 



3. Family. — Maples (Aceracese). Trees ; leaves 



opposite, exstipulate ; flowers often poly- 

 gamous, axillary, corymbose or racemose; 

 calyx mostly 5-divided ; petals five, or 0; sta- 

 mens generally eight ; ovary 2-lobed, 2-celled ; 

 ovules amphitropal, pendulous ; style one ; 

 stigmas two ; fruit samaroid ; seeds exarillate ; 



