77 
sometimes consisting of five petals. Stamens indefinite, inserted either on the receptacle 
or on a hypogynous membrane; filaments dilated at the base ; anthers long, innate, burst- 
ing inwards. Ovai'y single, superior, usually furrowed, many -celled, many, seeded ; style 
single ; stigma simple or capitate ; ovules numerous, attached to a central placenta. Cap- 
sule coriaceous, consisting of several valves which separate slightly ; dissepiments proceed- 
ing from the middle of the valves, but not meeting in the centre, so that the fruit is 1 -celled. 
Seeds very minute and numerous, nestling in pulp. — Shrubs, having sometimes a scramb- 
ling habit. Leaves alternate. Flowers in umbels or spikes. Peduncles naked, or furnished 
with either simple or cucullate hollow bracts. 
Affinities. The station of this order is uncertain ; it approaches Ebena- 
cese in its gamopetalous corolla cut round at the base, in the anthers attached 
by their base, and the alternate leaves : Ericaceae in the anthers and disk of 
the genus Antholoma : Hypericacese and Guttiferae in the hypogynous stamens, 
the polypetalous corolla of some genera, placentation and numerous seeds ; 
wherefore Jussieu stationed the order near Clusia. DC. Prodr. 1. 565. 
(1824). Turpin has somewhere remarked, that the bracts of this order 
offer a clear explanation of the conversion of a degenerated leaf into an 
ovule. 
Geography. All found in equinoctial America, except Antholoma, which 
is a native of New Caledonia. 
Properties. Handsome and curious plants, remarkable for their singular 
cucullate bracts. Nothing is known of their qualities. 
GENERA. 
§ I.MarcgraaviEvE, DC. § 2. Norante^, DC. Ruyschia, Jacq. 
Antholoma, I.a Bill. Norantea, Aubl. Souroubea, Aubl. 
Marcgraavia, L. Ascium, Vahl. 
Order LVIII. HYPERICACE^. The Tutsan Tribe. 
Hyperica, Juss. Gen. 254. (1789). — Hypericine.e, Chois. Prodr. Hyp. 32. (1821) ; 
DC. Prodr. 1. 541. (1824) ; Lindl. Synops. p. 41. (1829). 
Essential Character. — Sepals 4-5, either more or less cohering, or wholly distinct, 
persistent, unequal, with glandular dots. Petals 4-5, hypogynous, with a twisted aestiva- 
tion and oblique vernation, often having black dots. Stamens indefinite, hypogynous, in 
three or more parcels ; anthers versatile. Ovary single, superior ; placenta at this time 
central ; styles several, rarely connate ; stigmas simple, occasionally capitate. Fruit a cap- 
sule or berry, of many valves and many cells ; the edges of the former being curved 
inwards. Seeds minute, indefinite, usually tapering, attached to a placenta in the axis or 
on the inner edge of the dissepiments ; embryo straight, with an inferior radicle and no 
albumen. — Herbaceous plants, shrubs, or trees, with a resinous juice. Leaves opposite, 
entire, sometimes dotted, occasionally alternate and crenelled. Floivers generally yellow. 
Infiorescence variable. 
Anomalies. Lancretia has 10 monadelphous stamens. Some species of Vismia have 
solitary seeds, according to Cambessedes. 
Affinities. Nearly allied to Guttiferae, from which they chiefly differ in 
their small round and versatile anthers, numerous styles, and polyspermous 
capsules. To Cistaceae they approximate in many points, differing principally 
in their fruit, polyadelphous stamens, and dotted leaves. With Saxifragaceae 
they appear to me to have some relation, through the medium of Parnassia, 
the fringed glands of which are analogous to the polyandrous fascicles of Hy- 
pericum. The leaves of Hypericaceae are very commonly marked with dots, 
v/hich are either transparent, or black and opaque. 
Geography. Very generally spread over the surface of the earth, inha- 
biting mountains and valleys, marshes and dry plains, meadows and heaths. 
