COMMELYNEAE brown. (Commelyna.) 35 



lato, interdum arillo carnoso placentae continuo velato. (EndL) 

 Albumen semini conforme, dense carnosum. Embryo anti* 

 tropus (Rich.), in foveola albuminis hilo e diametro opposita 

 receptus ibique ad superficiem seminis papillam efficiens ma- 

 gis mmusve prominulam (euibryostegam), trochlearis (cylin- 

 dncus,medio parum attenuatus Gaertn.); extremitate radicu- 

 lan plerumque centrifuga, rarius verticem vel basim loculi 

 spectante. Herbae annuae vet perennes, rarissime sufjTru- 

 tescentes. Radiv Jibrosa, rarius tuberosa. Caules teretes, 

 nodosi, simplices vel ramosi, erecti vel procumbentes. Fo- 

 Ua sparsa, simplicia, integra, integerrima, nervosa, plana 

 vel canaliculata, basi vaginantia ; vaginis integris, arctis vel 

 laxis{tionnisiincauleexsiccato?). Flores albi, caerulei, vio- 

 lacei vel purpurei, rarissimeflavi.fasciculati, umbellati, ra- 

 cemosi vel paniculati, bracteati, interdumfoliis spathaefor- 

 mibus, cucullatis vel complicatis inclusi. — Xyrideis proxime 

 affines et medianteMayaca omnino conterminae (Endl.). A Jun- 

 ceis valde diversae, cum Kestiaceis situ embryonis foliisque 

 vaginantibus inagis conveniunt, alioqui tamen distinctissimae. 

 Cum Palniis vix ullam habent affinitatein nisi embryone 

 trochleari, ab umbilico remoto papillaque pariter indicato 

 (Brown. Prod. 269.) 



COMMELYNA linn., browN. 

 Hedwjgia Medik., Lechea Lour., AnanthopUs Rafin, 

 Flores irregulares. Sepala 6, distincta; tria exterlora 

 maequalia, subcolorata, immutata persistentia : impar exti- 

 mmn, naviculare, lateralia majoraj concava, marginibus exte- 

 rionbus contiguis (semper?) magis minusve connata; tria inte^ 

 nora petaloidea, marcescendo persistentia : lateralia longius- 

 cule unguiculata, subrotundo-reniforaiia, impar minus, alius 

 formae, sessile vel brevissime unguiculatum , ovatum vel 

 lanceolatum, in alabastro lateralia amplectens* Stamina 6. 

 basi sepalorum inserta* libera, tria sepalis interioribus late- 

 ralibus et exteriori irnpari opposita tenuiora, antheris crassis 

 cruciato-quadrifidis instructa, reliqua fertilia. Filamenta 

 imberbia. Antherae biloculares: loculis connexivo angusto 

 sejunctis; latcrales rectae; intermedia (sepalo exteriori im- 

 pan respondens) major, arcuata, interdum partim metamor- 



[3*] 



