672 
LIII. LYT1IRARIE/E. 
calyx-teeth or lobes, rarely deficient, inserted at the top of the calyx-tube, usually 
crumpled in the bud. Stamens as many or twice as many as petals or fewer, or 
rarely indefinite, inserted in the calyx-tube at various heights ; filaments inflected 
in the bud ; anthers versatile, with parallel cells opening longitudinally. Ovary 
free from the calyx, but usually enclosed in its tube, 2 or more-celled, or rarely 
1-celled by the abortion of the partitions; style simple, the stigma capitate or 
rarely 2-lobed. Ovules usually numerous, anatropous, attached to the axis, or 
very rarely parietal. Fruit a membranous coriaceous or hard capsule, variously 
dehiscent, enclosed in or surrounded by the persistent calyx, the valves usually 
detaching themselves from the central persistent placentiferous column. Seeds 
without albumen ; testa coriaceous, membranous or rarely thick ; embryo 
straight ; cotyledons oblong or orbicular-cordate ; radicle short, or rarely cotyle- 
dons small and radicle long. — Herbs, shrubs or trees. Leaves opposite, verticil- 
late or sometimes alternate, entire, without stipules. Flowers in axillary or 
terminal panicles cymes or clusters, rarely solitary. 
A considerable Order, some of the herbaceous genera spread over the greater part of the globe, 
the larger woody-stemmed ones confined to the tropics i'i the Old or the New World. Five 
of the Queensland genera are Asiatic, 3 of them being also African, and the 2 herbaceous genera 
extend to America and Europe. One genus extends to America and Africa. The naturalised 
weed (which is also European) and the Pomegranate are strays from cultivation. 
Tribe I. Ammannies. — Low or aquatic herb*, with small or minute flowers. Calyx 
membranous. 
Annual or perennial herbs, very rarely becoming woody at the base. 
Calyx short, membranous, the ribs inconspicuous or only as many as 
primary teeth ; accessory teeth minute or none. Petals very small or 
none 1. Ammannia. 
Calyx 6-fid. Stamens often 6 ; filaments short. Style very short ... 2. 'Peplis. 
Tribe II. Ly threie. — Trees or shrubs. Calyx herbaceous or coriaceous. Petals often larye, 
wrinkled. 
Calyx narrow, with twice as many ribs as primary teeth ; accessory teeth 
prominent. Petals usually conspicuous 3. Lythrum. 
Flowers cymose' or capitate. Petals corrugated in bud. Capsule valvular, 
4-celled 4. Nes.ea. 
Shrubs or trees. 
Stamens twice as many as petals. Calyx-lobes 6, with accessory teeth. 
Capsule enclosed in the calyx. Maritime shrub, with solitary flowers 
in the upper axils 5. Pemphis. 
Flowers 6-fid. Capsule 3 to 6-valved. Seeds winged 6. Lagerstrieuia. 
Stamens indefinite. Calyx-lobes 4 to 8, without accessory teeth. Fruit 
large, fleshy. Flowers large, 1 to 3 in the upper axils 7. Sonneratia. 
Au anomalous genus with inferior ovary. Calyx with 5 to 7 thick lobes. 
Petals 5 to 7. Stamens numerous. Ovary many-celled ; cells 2-seriate, 
superposed . . 8. *Ponica. 
1. AMMANNIA, Linn. 
(After J. Amman n.) 
(Rotala, Linn.; Ameletia, DC.) 
Calyx membranous, short, the ribs not at all, or the primary ones only, pro- 
minent, with 4 or 5, rarely 3 or 6 primary teeth, without any or with very small 
external accessory ones. Petals small and fugacious or none. Stamens as many 
as primary calyx-teeth, or twice as many or fewer, inserted towards the middle of 
the tube or lower down. Ovary 2 to 5-celled, or 1-celled by the abortion of the 
partitions. Style often short, with a capital stigma. Capsule included in the 
persistent calyx or protruding from it, opening in septicidal valves or bursting 
irregularly. Seeds very small. — Annual herbs, chiefly frequenting wet situations, 
usually glabrous, with a 4-angled stem. Leaves opposite or verticillate. Flowers 
very small, subsessile or pedicellate, solitary or in trichotomous cymes or clusters, 
with a pair of small bracteoles under the calyx, sometimes very minute or scarcely 
conspicuous. 
