FAMILY 129. CELASTRACEAE Shrubs or trees. Leaves simple, stipulate. Flowers regular. Sepals 4-5, imbricate or open in bud. Petals 4-5, free, imbricate in bud. Disc present. Stamens as many as and alternating with the petals. Filaments free. Anthers opening by two longitudinal slits sometimes confluent at the top. Ovary superior, but sometimes sunk in the disc and adnate to it, 2-5-celled, rarely (_Pleurostylia_) 1-celled. Ovules 1-8 in each cell, inverted. Style 1 or 0. Seeds usually albuminous. Embryo axile, with leaf-like cotyledons.--Genera 15, species 160. (Plate 82.) 1. Fruit a loculicidal capsule. Seeds with an aril. [Subfamily =CELASTROIDEAE=.] 2 Fruit a drupe or a nut. Seeds without an aril. 7 2. Leaves opposite, at least those of the flowering and fruiting branches. Unarmed shrubs. Ovules 2 in each ovary-cell. 3 Leaves alternate. 4 3. Petals spreading. Disc thick. Anthers opening by 1 slit. Ovary-cells and stigmas 4-5. Seeds enveloped by a red aril. Leaves elliptical.--Species 1. North-west Africa (Algeria). Yields timber and medicaments and serves as an ornamental plant; the fruits are poisonous. “Spindle-tree.” =Evonymus= L. Petals erect. Disc thin. Anthers opening by 2 slits. Ovary-cells and stigmas 3. Seeds with a white, wing-like aril. Leaves lanceolate.--Species 1 (_C. edulis_ Forsk.). Central and South Africa. The wood and the leaves are used, the latter for chewing and for preparing a tea and medicaments. (_Methyscophyllum_ Eckl. & Zeyh.) =Catha= Forsk. 4. Flowers in axillary racemes or umbels, or more frequently solitary or in clusters and inserted upon the leaves, 5-merous. Ovary-cells and stigmas 5, very rarely 3-4. Seeds with a laciniate aril. Unarmed shrubs or trees.--Species 7. Madagascar. (Under _Celastrus_ L.). =Polycardia= Juss. Flowers in axillary fascicles or cymes. Ovary 2-3-celled, very rarely 4-5-celled. 5 5. Ovules 3-6 in each cell of the ovary. Disc thick, almost hemispherical, ribbed, red. Seeds enveloped by the aril. Spiny shrubs.--Species 2. South Africa. (Under _Celastrus_ L.) =Putterlickia= Endl. Ovules 2 in each cell of the ovary. Ovary 2-3-celled. Disc not hemispherical. 6 6. Fruit with usually wing-like appendages. Seeds with a gaping aril. Ovary usually ribbed. Stigmas 2-3. Disc 5-lobed or 5-parted. Flowers 5-merous. Unarmed shrubs or trees. Leaves entire.--Species 9. South Africa. =Pterocelastrus= Meissn. Fruit without appendages. Ovary not ribbed. Disc faintly lobed, not ribbed.--Species 80. Some of them yield timber, rubber, or medicaments. (Including Scytophyllum Eckl. & Zeyh., under _Celastrus_ L.) =Gymnosporia= Wight & Arn. 7. (1.) Fruit broadly winged, with a leathery rind. Flowers 4-merous. Stamens inserted within the disc. Anthers opening outwards. Ovary 2-celled, with 1 erect ovule in each cell. Stigma 1, small. Shrubs. Leaves opposite, entire. Inflorescences terminal and axillary.--Species 1. Madagascar. [Subfamily =TRIPTERYGIOIDEAE=.] =Ptelidium= Thouars