Page:Miscellaneousbot01brow.djvu/90

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72
GENERAL REMARKS ON THE

brevis glaber cyathiformis decemplicatus subcrenatus. Ovarium liberum sessile depresso-globosum viride, tuberculis confertissimis obtusis undique tectum, villisque rarioribus tenuibus pubescens, 5-loculare; Stylus simplex erectus glaber obtusè 5-gonus; Stigma peltatum altè 5-lobum. Capsula lignea oblonga obtusa fere 3-uncialis, basi calyce minimo persistenti subtensa, undique echinata processubus suberoso-ligneis confertis subconicis, 5-partibilis, segmentis cymbiformibus, tandem ab apice semibifidis et siccatione sæpe transversim fissis, basibus ante dehisceentiam adnexis axi centrali brevi demum libero et persistenti. Placenta centralis longitudinaliter alte 5-loba, efformans Dissepimenta quinque longitudine capsulæ, cum segmentis alternantia ideoque eorum cavitates bipartientia, ante dehiscentiam margine interiore connexa, demum soluta, dimidiato-oblonga plana spongioso-lignea, versus dorsum obtusum sensim crassiora, margine interiore in aciem attenuata, utrinque disperma, et insignita lineis duabus alternis a margine interiore arcuatim descendentibus et paulo intra dorsum desinentibus. Semina erecta, funiculo brevi compresso paulo supra basin marginis exterioris inserta, plano-convexa, apice in alam membranaceam planam uninervem ipso nucleo subovato sesquilongiorem desinentia. Integumentum simplex coriaceum basi lateribusque spongioso-incrassatis. Albumen nullum. Embryo dicotyledoneus albus; Cotyledones transversæ crasso-foliaceæ aveniæ; Radicula prope medium marginis interioris seminis transversa, brevissima, sinu baseos cotyledonum inclusa, ab umbilico remota.


Obs. There can be very little doubt that Arbor Radulifera of the Herbarium amboinense (3, p. 201, t. 129,) belongs to Flindersia, not only from the external appearance of the capsule as exhibited in the figure, but from the description given by Rumpf of its dehiscence, as well as of the peculiar dissepiments and the structure of the seeds.

The affinities of this genus are not perhaps very evident. I have referred it to Cedreleæ, an order certain genera of which are annexed by Jussieu to Meliaceæ, but which I have separated from that family chiefly on account of the structure of the fruit, and of the winged seeds. Flindersia, however, does not agree with the other genera of Cedreleæ either in the insertion of its seeds or dehiscence of its capsule; and it appears to differ from them remarkably in its moveable dissepiments; but these may be considered as the segments of a common placenta, having a peculiar 597] form, indeed, but not being in other respects essentially different from that of Cedreleæ. Flindersia is distinct also from the whole of the order, in having its leaves dotted with pellucid glands, in which respect it seems to connect Cedreleæ with Hesperideæ; and, notwithstanding the absence of albumen, even with Diosmeæ.