Page:Illustrations of Indian Botany, Vol. 2.djvu/295

ILLUSTRATIONS OF INDIAN BOTANY.

155 list of genera, might be beneficially dispensed with. In the mean time it is quite impossible, by the characters given, to distinguish Visiania from the Indian Olives ; I, therefore, in publishing a figure of one of the species, referred it to Olea, the terminal, panicled inflorescence forming the only distinguishing mark, and to this so high a generic value is not yet accorded, however useful as a specific or even sectional character.

The species employed to illustrate the order is O. dioica, as exhibiting petaled and apeta- lous flowers, but my specimens being defective in ripe fruit, I have in a supplementary plate given analyses of other two species, one with long, the other with short petals, also of a species of Linociera, to show the difference in the position of the ovules and structure of the seed. The position of the ovules merits much attention in this family, as by their direction we are enabled to determine the place of an unknown species even without fruit. Roxburgh seems to be the only author who has noticed the amphitropal position of the ovules in the description of his Chionanthus dichotoma, and was the first to assign want of albumen as part of the generic character. Endlicher has introduced it into his character, but states that the ovules are suspended from the apex of the septum, which is not the case in any of those I have examined. In Chondrospermum the ovules are attached a little below the middle, and are ascending, which led Wallich, when he first described that plant, to suggest that it might more properly belong to Jasminece. De Candolle has acted on that suggestion and placed the genus at the head of that order, as forming the connecting link between the two, and it certainly participates in some of its characters of both, but of the two seems more nearly to approach Oleacece in the valvate estivation of its usually 4-lobed corolla and sessile stigmas. But, view it as we may, it is a very anomalous genus and might with nearly equal propriety be referred, so far as yet known, to either. The fruit, unfortunately, is still unknown, and until it is found its true place cannot be determined.

Olea dioica. 6. Calyx and abortive ovary.

1. Flowering branch, male — 2. Female. 7. Female flower.

3. Male flower. 8. Ovary cut vertically.

4. Corolla split open. 9. cut transversely.

5. Anthers, back and front views.

EXPLANATION

B. 1. Olea glandulifera, flower-bud.

2. Expanded flower.

3. Detached corolla, split open.

4. Stamens, back and front.

5. Calyx and ovary, calyx, in this instance, 3-lobed, not 4, as usual. See fig. 1.

6. Ovary cut vertically, ovules pendulous.

7. cut transversely.

8. A fruit not quite full grown.

9. Cut transversely, showing the embryo in the midst of fleshy albumen.

10. A detached seed.

11. Cut longitudinally to show the embryo in situ.

12. Olea linosieroides (R.W.), expanded flower.

13. Two of the petals, united by a filament.

14. Anthers, back and front views.

15. Ovary cut vertically, calyx lobes ciliate.

16. cut transversely.

17. A fruit, dried, and somewhat shrivelled.

18. Cut transversely, showing a solitary albuminous seed.

19. A detached seed.

OF PLATE 151-b. partly.

20. A detached seed cut to show the embryo in situ.

21. detached embryo.

C. 1. Linociera intermedia (R.W.), clusters of flowers.

2. Petals detached, united by pairs by the stamens.

3. Anthers, back and front views.

4. Ovary and calyx, stigma 2-lobed.

5. Ovary cut vertically, ovules amphitropal.

6. cut transversely.

7. A mature fruit, real size.

8. half the putamen removed, to show the

Amygdaloid seed in situ.

9. cut transversely exalbuminous.

D. Chondrospermum smilacifolium, Wall.

1. Detached flower, corolla 4-lobed.

2. Corolla split open.

3. Anthers, back and front.

4. Calyx and ovary.

5. Detached ovary.

6. cut vertically, ovules ascending.

7. cut transversely, 1 ovule in each cell.