35 
tales Onagrales, and Myrtales by Loasacese, and Ficoidales by Cactaceae, while, 
as will be shown in the proper place, they also touch very closely upon Bego- 
niales by Cucurbitaceae. With regard to the external relations of this group, 
it seems to be connected with the Syncarpous group by way of Melastoma and 
Lythraceae ; with the Albuminous group, through Myrtales, on the one hand, 
which touch Eupomatia, and Cactaceae on the other which approximate to 
Grossulaceae. A more distant, but at the same time a striking affinity is to be 
traced between Epigynosae and Monopetalous Dicotyledons, if we compare 
certain Melastomaceae with Gentianaceae. 
The principal exceptions to the character of this group occur, firstly, in 
Legnotideae, of which very little is at present known, and, secondly, in Melas- 
tomaceae and Myrtaceae, some of which have their ovary nearly superior. The 
syncarpous fiffit with no tendency to separate into carpels, appears a certain 
mark by which the group may be known from such orders as Rosaceae or 
Saxifragaceae, in which the ovary is sometimes partly inferior. 
Alliance L ONAGRALES, 
Essential Character. — Mstivation not valvate. Placentce central. Every part of 
the flower some regular multiple of two. In most cases herbaceous plants. 
As this alliance contains but one order, observations upon it will be in a 
great measure confined to that order. It might perhaps be combined with the 
next alliance, but its general tendency to form its flowers upon a perfectly di- 
merous plan, seems to point it out as something more difibrent from Myrtales 
than the orders of Myrtales are from each other. It is to be remarked that 
when the number four (or twice two) appears in Myrtales, it is not uni- 
formly 'preserved through all the parts of the flower, but is departed from in 
the stamens, or the pistil, or in some organ or other. 
Order XXII. ONAGRACE^E, The Evening Primrose Tribe. 
ONAGRiE, Juss. Gen. 317. (1789). — Epilobiace/E, Vent. Tahl. 3. 307. (1799); Martins 
Conspectus, No. 230. (1835). — Onagrari^e, Juss. Ann. Mus. 3. 315. (1804) in part.; 
DC. Prodr. 3. 35. (1828); Lindl. Synops. 107. (1829) ; Bartl. Ord. Nat. 318. 
(1830). 
Essential Character. — Calyx superior, tubular, with the limb 4-lobed ; the lobes 
cohering in various degrees, with a valvate aestivation. Petals generally equal in number 
to the lobes of the calyx, into the throat of which they are inserted, regular, with a twisted 
aestivation. Stamens four or eight inserted into the calyx ; filaments distinct ; pollen 
triangular, usually cohering by threads. Ovary of several cells, generally crowned by a 
disk ; style filiform ; stigma either capitate or 4-lobed. Fruit baccate or capsular, many- 
seeded, with 4 cells. Seeds numerous, without albumen ; embryo straight ; radicle long 
and taper ; cotyledons very short. — Herbaceous plants or shrubs. Leaves alternate or oppo- 
site, simple, entire or toothed. Flowers red, purple, white, blue, or yellow, axillary, or 
terminal. 
Anomalies. — Lopezia has but one stamen^ and is altogether an irregular genus. 
Affinities . The above character applies only to the genuine forms of Ona- 
gracese, which are certainly known from the plants that are otherwise near them, 
by the regular prevalence of the number 4 in the whole of the parts of fructi- 
fication. From Lythraceae they are separated by their inferior fruit, and from 
Myrtaceae, to which they approach through Fuchsia, by the absence of pellucid 
