203 
Cuscutaand the noble forest trees of which the majority of Lauracese consists. 
Besides it appears from the short character given above, from Nees Von Esen- 
beck’s work, that there are distinctions enough even in the fructification to 
define Cassythacese as a peculiar order. 
Geography. Found in the hotter parts of all the tropics. 
Properties. Unknown. 
GENUS. 
Cassytha, L. 
Alliance V. PEN^ALES. 
Essential Character. — Carpels several. Calyx with an imbricated or valvate 
aestivation. 
These plants would belong to Thymaelacese if it were not for their com- 
pound fruit, for there is nothing in the habit of Penaeacese to prevent it. 
Order CLII. PEN^ACE^. 
PENiEACEiE, R. Brown, verbally (1820) ; Guillemin in Diet. Class. 13. 171. (1828) ; 
Martins Hort. Monac. (1829) ; Kunth in Linncea, v. 667. (1830). 
Essential Character. — Calyx inferior, with 2 or more bracts at its base j hypocra- 
teriform, with a 4-lobed limb valvate in aestivation, or deeply 4 -parted imbricated in aesti- 
vation. Stamens either 4, arising from below the recesses of the limb, with which they 
alternate, or 8, arising from near the base of the calyx ; anthers 2-celled, turned inwards, 
usually with membranous valves lying on the face of a thick fleshy connective, sometimes 
with fleshy valves, and an obliterated connective. Ovary superior, 4 -celled, with a sim- 
ple sfyZe and 4 stigmas; ovules either ascending, collateral, in pairs, or solitary and sus- 
pended; the foramen always next the placenta. Fruit capsular, 4-celled, dehiscent or 
indehiscent ? Seed erect or inverted ; testa brittle ; nucleus a solid fleshy mass, with no 
distinction of albumen or embryo ; radicular end next the hilum?; hilum fungous. — Shrubs. 
Leaves opposite, imbricated, without stipules. Flowers terminal and axillary, usually red. 
Affinities. According to an observation of Jussieu, this order is allied to 
^pacridacese ; but I confess I am unable to perceive on what account. To me 
it appears related in the first degree to some apetalous dicotyledons, such as 
Proteacese, with some of which the species agree in habit, and in the case of 
Pensea fruticulosa even in the thickened connective and the structure of the 
lobes of the stigma, each of which is strikingly like that of a Grevillea. To 
Bruniaceae they must be compared, notwithstanding the presence of petals in 
that order, for the sake ofLinconia, in which the pendulous ovule agrees with 
Geissoloma, and the thickened connective of the anthers, which is common to 
several species, although not present in Geissoloma. The fungous hilum of 
the seed is similar to that of Polygalaceae, with which, however, Penaeaceae 
have no other apparent relation. 
This order exhibits a singular instance of two distinct kinds of aestivation 
and attachment of ovules among species which it is impossible to separate 
from each other. In true Penaea the aestivation is valvate, and the ovules as- 
cending, while in Geissoloma the former is imbricate, and the latter suspended. 
Penaea has also tetrandrous flowers, with peculiarly fleshy anthers, while 
Geissoloma has octandrous flowers, with no peculiar fleshiness in the anthers. 
Considering the near affinity of this order to Thymelaceae, this circumstance 
contributes very much to shake our confidence in the value of the position of 
