68 



The following are the general characters of the family as it occurs in 

 Jamaica : — 



Calyx, free from the ovary, in 5 parts, some or all of which have 2 

 glands on the outside (Plate 2, fig. 3). 



Petals 5, usually with a stalk-like part called the claw ('fig. 3), inserted 

 on the receptacle (fig. 2j. 



Stamens inserted with the petals (fig. 2), lo, of which some are occa- 

 sionally imperfect; the filaments are generally united at the base 



Ovary superior (fig 2), composed of 3 carpels (fig 4), united or dis- 

 tinct only at the top, with 3 styles (fig. 5) ; ovules one in each cell, 

 pendulous 



Ripe Carpels, sometimes forming a drupe (as the West India herry), 

 sometimes distinct jnd separating into nuts which are usually wing- 

 ed. (Plate 3). 



Seeds exalbuminous. 



Trees or shrubs often climbing. 



Leaves usually opposite, simple 



To put it rather more briefly : amongst Polypetalse with 10 stameni 

 and superior ovary of 3 cells, Malpighiacese may be distinguished as 

 having a glandular calyx, and clawed petals. 



The character of the genera and species may be shortly indicated as 

 follows : — 



1. Trees or shrubs ; fruit a drupe. 



Malpighia. Flowers reddish or purplish in axillary rembels or corymbs. 

 Byrsouima. Flowers yellow in lerminal racemes. 



Bunchosia. Flowers yellow in lateral racemes. Leaves with 2 glands beneath. 



2. Climbers ; flowers yellow ; fruit composed of nuts, winged in the 

 centre, but only crested in Brachypterys. 



Stigmaphyllon. Flowers in corymbs. Stamens 10, only 6 perfect. 



Wing of nut thickened on upper margin. 

 Heteropteris. Flowers in panicles (PI. 2). Stamens 10, all perfect. 



Wing thickened on lower margin (r l, 3). 

 Brachyptea*ys. Flowers in umbels. Stamens 10 some not always perfect. 



Nut crested, not winged. 



3. Climbers; flowers yellow, (except in Taopteris which has blu» 

 flowers) ; stamens all perfect ; fruit composed of nuts with wings 

 at the sides. 



Triopteris. Flowers blue, panicles of distant racemes. Nuts with 3 wings. 

 Tetrapteris. Flowers yellow, umbels paniculate. Nuts with 4 wings. 

 Hirsea. Flowers yellow, corymbs paniculate. Nuts with 2 roundish wings. 



Malpighia. 



1. Leaves with stinging hairs on under surface. 

 M.fueata, Ker. Flowers whitish-pink. Leaves large (over 4 in. long). 

 M. oxycocca^ Griseb. Flower purple. Leaves small (not over 4 in. long). 



2. Leaves without hairs. Flowers whitish-pink. 



M. glabra, Linn. Flowers 3 to 7 together. 



M. punicifolia, Linn. Flowers tne alone, or only 2 together. 



Byrsoaima. 



B. cineva, DC. Leaves elliptical, under surface hairy. Anthers hairy. 

 B. spioata, Rich. Leaves elliptical lanceolate, midrib underneath hairy, An^ 

 thers without hairs. 



B. jamaicensis, Urb. & Nied. in Jam. Herb. Leaves lanceolate, without any 

 hairs, veins forming a prominent net-work below. 



