269 
Order CXCIX * SALVADORACEiE. 
Essential Character. — Calyx inferior, 4-leaved, minute. Corolla membranous, 
monopetalous, 4-parted. Stamens 4, connecting the petals into a monopetalous corolla ; 
an^Am round, 2-celled, bursting longitudinally. Ovary superior, 1 -celled, with a single 
sessile stigma ; ovule solitary, erect. Pericarp berried; 1 -celled, indehiscent. Seed soli- 
tary, erect. Embryo amygdaloid, without albumen ; cotyledons fleshy, plano-convex, fixed 
a little below their middle to a long axis, the radicle of which is enclosed within their 
bases. — Shrubs, with the stem slightly tumid at the articulations. Leaves opposite, leathery, 
entire, very obscurely veined. Flowers minute in loose panicles. 
Affinities. By one author refeiTed to Chenopodiacese or Amarantaceae, 
notwithstanding its monopetalous corolla and embr^^o, by another to Myrsinaceae, 
notwithstanding the position of its stamens and the structure of ovary and 
seeds, this plant appears to he in reality the t}’y)e of a quite distinct order, the 
true relation of which is with Plumbaginaceae and Plantaginaceae. With the 
latter it agrees in the number of the parts of its flower, its membranous 
corolla and. simple style ; with the former more in habit, and especially in the 
leaves, which are much hke those of a Statice. It, however, differs essentially 
in its polysepalous calyx, amygdaloid embrA'O, opposite leaves, and berried 
pericarp. In habit it agrees with Galenia, and this has probably been the 
cause of its having found its way to Chenopodiaceae. 
Geography. Indian and North African plants. 
Properties. Fruit eatable. 
GENUS. 
Salvadora, L. 
Alliance V. PL UMBALES. 
Essential Character. — Styles 5. Flowers formed upon a quinary plan. Ovary 
superior. ' 
Order CC. PLUMBAGINACEAE. The Leadwort Tribe. 
Plumbagines, Juss. Gen. 92. (1789). — PLUMBAGiNEi®, R. Brown Prodr. 425. (1810). 
Essential Character. — Calyx tubular, plaited, persistent. Corolla monopetalous 
or 5-petalous, regular. Stamens definite ; in the monopetalous species hypogynous ! in 
the polypetalous arising from the petals ! Ovary superior, single, 1 -seeded ; ovule inverted, 
pendulous from the point of an umbilical cord, arising from the bottom of the cavity ; 
styles 5 ! seldom 3 or 4 ; stigmas the same number. Fmit a nearly indehiscent utricule. 
Seed inverted ; testa simple ; embryo straight ; radicle superior. — Herbaceous plants or 
under-shrubs, variable in appearance. Leaves alternate or clustered, undivided, somewhat 
sheathing at the base. Flowers either loosely panicled, or contracted into heads, flowering 
irregularly. 
Affinities. Distinguished from all other monopetalous orders by their 
plaited calyx and solitary ovule, suspended from the apex of a cord which 
arises from the base of a 1 -celled ovary, with several stigmas. From Plan- 
taginacese they are otherwise chiefly known by their inflorescence not being 
simply spiked, and their albumen not fleshy. The economy of the ovule is 
highly curious ; before fecundation it is suspended from the apex of a cord, or 
rather strap, which lies over the foramen or orifice through which the vivify- 
ing influence of the pollen has to be introduced ; this foramen is presented to 
