Page:Illustrations of Indian Botany, Vol. 1.djvu/410

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 * 1. Photiana notoniana—natural size.
 * 2. An expanded flower, side view.
 * 3. Front view.
 * 4. The same dissected, showing the stamens and the ovary forcibly detached from the calyx tube.
 * 5. Stamens.
 * 6. The ovary cut vertically, showing its cohesion with the calyx.
 * 7. Ovary cut transversely, 2-celled, and two ovules n each.
 * 8. A fruit nearly mature cut transversely, two of the ovules aborted.
 * 9. A seed—natural size.
 * 10. Magnified.
 * 11. Cut transversely.
 * 12. Cut vertically.
 * 13. Cotyledons and embryo detached.

 

In most modern works on Botany this order occurs under the name of Lythrariae, owing, I presume, to the genus Salicaria, having been reduced to the older one Lythrum. We have however retained older name Salicarieae in our Prodromus, and I continue to adopt it from not seeing adequate grounds for changing an already established name of an order, because the genus on which it was originally founded is reduced.

As compared with the three preceding orders this, though abounding in species, is one of very secondary importance to mankind, consisting, as it does, for the greater part of low herbaceous plants, mere weeds, and inconsiderable shrubs, the latter, more remarkable for their gaudy flowers than for any value in an economical point of view that attaches to them. Of the herbaceous division the stems are for the most part 4-seeded, often with acute angles, the shrubby ones on the contrary have round branches, or if at first square, with obtuse angles. The leaves are opposite, sometimes verticelled, and occasionally, though rarely alternate, sessile, or tapering into a short petiol, stipules none. The flowers are bi-sexual, regular, axillary, or aggregated, or cymose, sometimes by the abortion of the floral leaves towards the extremities of the branches, apparently spicate or racemose. It is divided into two sub-orders Lythrariae and Ceratophylliae.

Calyx tubular or campanulate, lobed, the lobes sometimes with intermediate accessory lobes or teeth : aestivation valvate. Petals alternate with the lobes of the calyx, usually very deciduous, sometimes wanting. Stamens inserted a little below the petals, equal in number to them, or 2-3-4-times as many, rarely fewer : anthers introrse, bi-locular, bursting longitudinally. Ovarium superior, 2-4-celled; ovules numerous : style usually filiform, rarely very short : stigma usually capitate. Placentae in the axis. Capsule membranous, surrounded by, but not combined with the calyx; usually 1-celled by the obliteration of the dissepiments, bursting longitudinally or irregularly. Seeds numerous, small. Albumen none. Embryo straight : radicle next the hilum : cotyledons flat and foliaceous.

This order seems nearly allied in many respects to Onagrariae, from which however it is separated by its free, not adherent ovary. This circumstance further entitles it to rank next Rosaceae in preference to those orders in which the calyx adheres to the ovary. I copy the following remarks from Lindley's Natural System, 2d edition, as exhibiting the best view of its affinities I have met with.

" In many respects this order resembles Onagrariae, from which the superior ovary and many ribbed calyx distinguish it; also Melastomaceae, from which the superior ovary the veining of the leaves, and the aestivation of the stamens divide it. With Labiatae it has often a resemblance in habit but this goes no further. Malvaceae, however, appear to be the plants to which Lythraceae most nearly approach, as is indicated by Lagerstraemea and Hibiscus, as well as by Lythrum itself and Napoea Their strictly perigynous stamens place them in a widely different affinity according to the French school. Their resemblance to Celastraceae is completely established by the genus Adenaria." 