Genus 1, species 2. Tropical and South Africa. The resin is used as a fumigant and in medicine. (Including Myosurandra Baill.) Myrothamnus Welw.
[FAMILY 100.] BRUNIACEAE
Undershrubs or shrubs. Leaves alternate, small, undivided, without stipules, rarely (Staavia) with gland-like stipules. Flowers in heads, more rarely in spikes or racemes or solitary, hermaphrodite, 5-merous, very rarely 4-merous. Calyx with imbricate or open aestivation. Petals free or united below, imbricate in bud. Stamens as many as and alternate with the petals. Anthers opening inwards by longitudinal slits. Ovary inferior or half-inferior, rarely (Lonchostoma) almost superior, 1-3-celled. Ovules 1-4 in each cell, pendulous, inverted. Style 1-3. Fruit a capsule or nut. Seeds with a copious albumen and a minute embryo next the hilum.—Genera 12, species 55. South Africa. (Plate 63.)
1. Anthers linear or oblong, with parallel, wholly adnate cells. Petals clawed, the claw without distinct glands. Ovary and receptacle (calyx-tube) glabrous. Style 1, with 2-3 punctiform stigmas. [Tribe AUDOUINIEAE.] 2
Anthers sagittate or cordate, with partly free and divergent cells. [Tribe
BRUNIEAE.] 4
2. Ovary 3-celled. Ovules 6. Stigmas 3. Connective prolonged beyond the anther-cells, strap-shaped. Receptacle obconical. Petals red.
Flowers in head-like spikes. Bracteoles 7-10.—Species 1. Cape
Colony. Audouinia Brongn.
Ovary 2-celled or later on 1-celled. Ovules 4 or 8. Stigmas 2. Connective not prolonged. Fruit a 1-seeded nut. Flowers solitary or in racemes. 3
3. Ovary inferior. Receptacle obconical or cupular. Sepals hairy, deciduous.
Petals lanceolate. Flowers solitary.—Species 5. South Africa. Thamnea Soland.
Ovary half-inferior. Ovules 4. Receptacle globular-urceolate. Sepals glabrous, persisting in fruit. Petals obovate, white. Flowers in racemes. Bracteoles 6.—Species 1. Cape Colony. Tittmannia Brongn.
BRUNIACECAE.
FLOW. PL. AFR.
Pl. 63.
J. Fleischmann del.
Raspalia microphylla (Thunb.) Brongn.