. The classification of flowering plants. Plants. anther-connective is often conspicuously developed ; the pollen is smooth and spherical. The short style bears three short branches which are stiginatic at the apex. The capsule opens in various ways, laterally or apically, but it rarely separates into valves. A small but remarkably widespread tropical order of about 12 small genera and about 60 species in damp tropical woods or savannas. The largest genus Burmannia (about 20 species) occurs in the tropics of both Old and New Worlds, and in North America passes beyond the tropics. Some species
. The classification of flowering plants. Plants. anther-connective is often conspicuously developed ; the pollen is smooth and spherical. The short style bears three short branches which are stiginatic at the apex. The capsule opens in various ways, laterally or apically, but it rarely separates into valves. A small but remarkably widespread tropical order of about 12 small genera and about 60 species in damp tropical woods or savannas. The largest genus Burmannia (about 20 species) occurs in the tropics of both Old and New Worlds, and in North America passes beyond the tropics. Some species are green plants inhabit- ing damp sandy places, others are leafless saprophytes growing in the humus in old forests. The allied genus Gymnosiphon (sapro- phytic) also occurs in the tropics of all three great continents, and the allied Dictyostegia in America and Africa; Thismia occurs in Asia and America, while other genera are confined either to Asia or America; several of the latter are monotypic. The greatest development of the family occurs in Malaya and Brazil. Burmanniaceae are a highly differentiated family with a remarkably wide distribution, an evidence of its great anti- quity. The order forms an in- teresting link between the epigynous Liliiflorae such as Amaryllidaceae, which they resemble in the regular, trimerous flowers, and the Orchidaceae, near which they are placed by reason of their small ovules and seeds; the latter with their extended thin membranous testa enclosing a small undifferentiated embryo strongly recall the seeds of Orchids which, however, differ in the absence of en- Fig. 162. Plant of Burmannia Dahieli (a Chinese species), | nat. size. A. A flower, the perianth cut open and turned back shewing the small ovate inner perianth-segments, the three sessile anthers opposite the latter, and the style with its three stigmas, enlarged. Through the thin ovary- walls can be seen the seeds. B. A single seed more Please note that these
Size: 920px × 2715px
Photo credit: © The Book Worm / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, booksubjectplants, bookyear1904
