716 PRIMULACEAE. [Samolus. 
Lin. diam., axillary or in few-flowered terminal racemes ; pedicels longer 
than the leaves. Calyx-tube adnate to about the middle of the ovary, lobes 
acute. Corolla broad, the tube usually about as long as the calyx-lobes. 
Capsule broadly ovoid, $+ in. diam.—f. Muell. Veg. Chath. Is. (1864) 34; 
Benth. Fl. Austral. iv (1869) 271. 8. littoralis R. Br. Prodr, (1810) 428; | 
A. Rich. Fl. Now. Zel. (1832) 185; A. Cunn. Preewr. (1838) 372; Raoul 
Choix (1846) 44; Hook.f. Fl. Nov. Zel.i (1853) 207 ; Handb. N.Z. Fl. (1864) 
185: Cheesem. Man. N.Z. Fl. (1906) 429. Sheffieldia: repens Forst. Char. 
Gen. (1776) 18; Forst. f. Prodr. (1786) 67, 
Var. strictus Cockayne in Trans. N.Z, Inst. xlviii (1916) 199.—Stems 5-10 in. high, 
strict, erect ; leaves more or less imbricate, linear or linear-lanceolate, acute. 
Kermapec Istanps, Norra anp Sour Isnanps, STEwART IsLanp, CHATHAM 
Isnanps, AvcKLAND IsLANDS: Common along the coast, in salt marshes and on rocks. 
November—January. Also in Australia and Tasmania and New Caledonia. The var. 
stricius is almost as widely spread as the type. Sache, |‘ 
Family LX XXIII. SAPOTACEAE. 
#@ Trees or shrubs, often with milky juice. Leaves alternate, coriaceous, 
entire ; stipules usually wanting. Flowers regular, hermaphrodite or 
occasionally polygamous, axillary, solitary or clustered. Calyx inferior, 
4-8-lobed or -partite ; lobes imbricate. Corolla gamopetalous, hypogynous, 
tube short, lobes as many or 2-4 times as many as the divisions of the calyx. 
Stamens inserted on the tube of the corolla and opposite to the lobes, either 
as many or twice as many as the lobes, sometimes alternating with 
staminodia, Ovary superior, 2-8-celled; style simple, straight; stigma 
punctiform, simple or lobed; ovules solitary in each cell, attached to 
the inner angle, Fruit a 1- to many-celled berry, frequently 1-celled 
and 1-seeded by abortion, Seeds often with the testa crustaceous and 
shining; albumen present or wanting; embryo straight, radicle inferior. 
A small family, widely distributed in the tropics of both hemispheres, but almost 
unknown in temperate regions. Genera 35; species not far from 600, many of them 
imperfectly known. The family includes several species useful to man, the most im- 
portant being the Malayan Jsonardra gutta, which produces guttapercha, The star-apple 
(Chrysophyllum Cainita) and the African butter-tree (Bassia Parkii) are edible species, 
and there are several others not so well known. The New Zealand genus is widely spread 
in tropical countries. 
“FR r SIDEROXYLON Linn. 1725 
Trees or shrubs, glabrous or pubescent. Leaves alternate, coriaceous, 
exstipulate. Flowers usually small, in axillary fascicles, sessile or pedicelled. 
Calyx-segments 5, much imbricated, subequal, Corolla subcampanulate ; 
lobes 5, imbricated. Stamens 5, affixed to the throat of the corolla and 
opposite to the lobes ; filaments short or long; anthers ovate or lanceolate. 
Staminodia 5, alternating with the stamens. Ovary glabrous or villous, 
5- or rarely 2—4-celled; style cylindric, short or long. Berry oveid or 
globose ; seeds often solitary by abortion, sometimes 2-5, usually oblong, 
compressed ; testa hard, crustaceous or bony; albumen fleshy ; cotyledons 
flat, broad, often foliaceous ; radicle short. 
Species about 90, chiefly found in the tropical regions of both hemispheres. 
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