DIOSPYRINJE. PBIMDLINJ:. 



511 



useful order in several respects (400 tropical species). The wood of some 

 genera, such as Sideroxylun (Iron wood) and Baim-lia, is as hard as iron. The 

 latex of Palaquium (P. oblong i folium, P. gutta, and other species), Alimusops 

 and Paycna (Sumatra, E. Ind.), is the raw material of gutta percha. The 

 following have very delicious fruits : Lucuina manimosa, Achras sapota, 

 Chrysophyllum cainito (Star-apple), etc. The seeds of Bassia (E. Ind.) contain 

 a large quantity of a fatty oil. Isunaiidra, Mimnsops t>chiinpcri are often found 

 in the Egyptian royal tooibs. 



Order 2. Ebenaceae. Plants without latex, of ten dioecious ; flowers with a 

 more or less leathery perianth. The number of stamens is sometimes increased 

 (by splitting ? ) ; ovules 1-2, pendulous in each loculus. Fruit a berry. 250 

 species ; chiefly tropical. Some are well known on account of their hard and 

 black-coloured heart-wood, e.g. Maba ebenus (the Moluccas) and Diospyros 

 ebeiium (Ebony-wood, from Tropical Asia) and others. The fruits are edible 

 e.g. of Diospyros lotits (Date-plum, Asia), which is also cultivated as an orna- 

 mental shrub, together with several other species. 



Order 3. Styracaceae. The nower is more or less epigynous, and the corolla 

 is almost poh/jictalutis. The stamens (by splitting?) are more than double the 

 number of the petals, and often united at the base. Stellate hairs are frequent. 

 235 species ; Tropical Asia and America, a few for example in the East. 

 OFFICINAL : Gum - benzoin from Styrax benzoin and perhaps other species 

 (Sumatra and Siam). llalesia tetraptera (N. Am.) is an ornamental shrub 

 with 4-wiuged fruits. 



Family 28. Primulinae. 



The flowers are regular, ^ > hypogynous, and garaopetalous. 

 The stamens are equal in number to the petals (Fig. 547) and are 

 placed opposite to them. The ovary is unilocular, with a free, 

 central placenta with 1-many ovules. The flower is a further de- 

 velopment of the Diospyrinaa ; the suppression of the calyx- 

 stamens, which commenced in this family, 

 is carried farther in the Primulinae, so that 

 in the majority of cases no trace of them 

 is present, but in certain species and genera 

 (Samolus, Lysimachia thyrsiflura, ISoldanella, 

 certain Myrsineae) some small bodies (scales, 

 teeth, etc.) are found in the position of the 

 suppressed stamens. Again, the lateral 

 portions of the carpels are suppressed, so 

 that the ventral placentae, with the ovules 

 are separated from the dorsal portions, and 

 are united into a free central placenta ; this theory is supported by 

 the branching of the vascular bundles, the development, and various 

 comparative considerations. Sn, Pn, AO + n, Gu ; where n = 4-8, 

 generally 5. The carpels are placed opposite the sepals (Fig. 547). 



FIG. 517. Diagram of 

 Primula. 



