90 
5 celled ; ovules 2 in each cell, pendulous, collateral; styles 5, distinct ; slightly 
dilated and lobed. Fruit (a nuculanium) with a fleshy epicarp, enclosing 5 distinct, bony, 
1 -seeded carpels ; seeds pendulous. Embryo in the axis of fleshy albumen ; cotyledons flat, 
foliaceous : radicle short, superior, pointing to the hilum. — Shrubs. Leaves alternate, or 
sometimes crowded and opposite near the flowers. Stipules 2, subulate. Peduncles 
axillary 1 -flowered, often by abortion transformed into circinnate spines. Arnott, 1. c. 
Affinities. The only genus referable here has been placed by De Can- 
dolle with doubt in Chlenacese, to which we cannot agree ; that order having 
the calyx and gynoeceum in a ternary, while the corolla and androeceum follow 
the quinary arrangement. Kunth hesitatingly places it in Buttneriacese and 
the tribe Domheyaceae, and there is no doubt that the afhnity is very great ; 
it is now separated on account of the imbricate (not valvate) calyx, the ovules 
pendulous (not erect or ascending), and the radicle superior (not inferior) ra- 
ther than invalidate the character of the order by its insertion. In many 
points it agrees with the character (hut not with the habit) of Oxalidaceae, 
forming another link between the group of Malvaceous orders, and Gera- 
niacese. Arnott, 1. c. 
GENUS. 
Hugonia, L. 
Order LXVIIL CHLENACE^. 
ChlenacEjE, Thouars Hist. Veg. Afr. Austr. 46. (1806) ; DC. Prodr. 1. 521. (1824). 
Essential Character. — Involucre 1-2-flowered, persistent, of variable form and tex- 
ture. Sepals 3, small ; aestivation imbricated ? Petals 5 or 6, hypogynous, broader at the 
base, sometimes cohering there. Stamens either very numerous, or sometimes only 10 ; 
filaments either cohering at the base into a tube, or adhering to the tube of petals ; anthers 
roundish, adnate, or loose, 2-celled, Ovary single, 3-celled; style 1, filiform; stigma 
triple. Capsule 3-celled, or 1 -celled by abortion. Seeds solitary or numerous, attached 
to the centre, suspended; embryo green, central; albumen fleshy according to Jussieu, or 
horny according to Du Petit Thouars; cotyledons foliaceous, wavy. — Trees or shrubs. 
Leaves alternate, with stipules, entire. Stipules deciduous. Flowers in panicles or 
racemes. DC. 
Anomalies. Leptolaena has definite stamens. 
Affinities. The monadelphous stamens and involucrated flowers indi- 
cate an affinity with Malvaceae. But Jussieu refers the order rather to the 
vicinity of Ebenaceae, considering it monopetalous, and the seeds albuminous. 
Very httle is, in fact, known of these plants. To me it appears that their im- 
bricated calyx, regular flowers and albumen place them in the Cistal alli- 
ance of Calycose Polypetalous Dicotyledons, and in the vicinity of Cistaceae. 
Geography. There are only eight certain species, which are all natives 
of Madagascar. 
Properties. Handsome shrubs, with fine flowers, often red; but no- 
thing is known of their qualities. 
GENERA. 
Sarcolsena, Pet. Thou. Schizolaena, Pet. Thou. 
Leptolaena, Pet. Thou. Rhodolaena, Pet. Thou. 
