7.5 



RONDELETIA ODOR ATA. 



{Scented Rondeletia.) 



LINNEAN SYSTEM. NATURAL ORDER. 



PENTANDRIA MONOGYNIA. RUBIACEiE. — (J'USS.) 



GENERIC CHARACTER. 



Rondeletia (Plum.) Calycis tubus subglobosus, limbus 4-5-partitus, lobis oblongis linearibusve 

 acutis persistentibus. Corollis tubo cylindrico vix apice subventricoso, limbo patente 4-5-lobo, 

 lobis subrotundis, antherce 4-5 in apice tubi inclusse sessiles. Stigma bifidum. Capsula globosa 

 calyce coronata bilocularis, ex apice dehiscens in valvulas 2 ssepius apice fissas, unde asepe 4 valvis 

 videtur, nunc loculicido, rarius septicido-dehiscens. Placentce centrales. Semina plurima 

 minima ovato-angulata, ssepe 2 tantum in loculo maturescentia. — De Cand. Prod. vol. 4, p. 406. 



Tube of the calyx subglobose, limb divided into four or five parts, lobes oblong, or linear 

 acute persistent. Tube of the corolla cylindrical, scarcely somewhat ventricose at the apex, 

 limb spreading, 4 or 5-lobed, lobes somewhat round. Anthers 4 or 5 sessile, inclosed in the apex 

 of the tube. Stigma divided. Capsule globose, crowned with the calyx, two-celled, dehiscing at 

 the apex into two valves, oftentimes cleft at the apex, from which circumstance it frequently 

 seems as if it were 4-valved, sometimes dehiscing loculicidally, rarely septicidally. Placenta; 

 central. Seeds numerous, small, ovate, angular, oftentimes only two perfected in each cell. 



SPECIFIC CHARACTER. 



Rondeletia odorata ; foliis vix petiolatis ovatis aut obcordatis acutiusculis, supra sparse 

 scabris, subtus palladioribus in nervis tantum scabris ; corymbis terminalibus. — De Cand. I. c. 



Leaves scarcely petiolate, ovate, or obcordate, somewhat acute, the upper surface scattered 

 over with rough hairs, the under surface paler, and only rough in the nerves ; flowers in corymbs 

 terminal. 



Rondeletia odorata. — Jacq. p. 59, t. 42. De Cand. Prod. vol. 4, p. 408. 



Descb. — Shrub. Stem round, growing to the height of about three feet, a little branched, 

 covered with soft hairs. Leaves petiolate, ovate, alternately opposite, upper surface wrinkled, 

 shining, and scattered all over with stiffish hairs, the under surface strongly veined, veins 

 alternate, at length anastomosing into a kind of net-work, more or less hairy. Stipules ovate, 

 very acuminate, with a strong nerve running up the centre and terminating in a hard brown 

 point. Flowers in dense corymbs of an orange, or orange-red colour, tube twice as long as the 

 calyx gamopetalus, divided into five portions. Segments obtuse, with appendages as many as the 

 segments, and so arranged as to resemble a cup when expanded. Calyx hairy, divisions linear. 

 Ovarium globose, crowned with the calyx. Seeds somewhat angular, many of which are 

 abortive, attached to a central placenta. 



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