EXOGENOUS OR DICOTYLEDONOUS PLANTS. 



473 



Tiglium. Some plants of the family are most virulent poisons ; as, 

 for example, the Manchineal-tree of the West Indies (Hippomane 

 Manicella), which is said even to destroy persons who sleep under its 

 shade ; and a drop of the juice blisters the hand. The hairs of some 

 species (such as our Cnidoscolus stimulosus) sting like Nettles. Box- 

 wood is invaluable to the wood-engraver. The purple dye called 

 Turnsole is from Crozophora tinctoria. Another most important 

 product of this order is Caoutchouc, which is yielded by various plants 

 of different families ; but the principal supply of the article (that of 

 Para, Demarara, and Surinam) is furnished by species of Siphonia. 

 910. Ord. EmpelracCBB {Crowherry Family). Low, shrubby ever- 

 greens, with the aspect of Heaths ; the leaves crowded and acei'ose, 



1153 



1154 



1149 



1150 



1155 



1148 



IlSl 



1153 



with small (dioecious or polygamous) flowers produced in the axils. 

 Calyx consisting of regular imbricated sepals, or represented by im- 

 bricated bracts. Stamens few : pollen of four grains coherent in 

 one, as in Heath. Ovary three- to nine-celled, with a single erect 

 oviile in each cell ; style short or none : stigmas lobed and often 

 laciniated. Fruit a drupe, with from three to nine bony nucules. 

 Seeds albuminous ; the radicle inferior. — Ex. Empetrum, Ceratiola, 

 Corema ; unimportant plants. Probably no more than apetalous 

 Ericaceae ; but the stigmas are peculiar. 



911. Ord. UrticaceSB {Nettle Family), shrubs, or herbs, with stipules, 

 oflen with milky juice, and diclinous or polygamous, rarely perfect 

 flowers, furnished with a regular calyx ; which is free from the one- 



FIG. 1148. Branch of Ceratiola ericoides in fruit. 1149. Magnified staminate flower, with 

 its bracts. 1150. The two stamens, with an inner bract or sepal. 1151. Magnified pistillate 

 flower, with its imbricated bracts. 1152. The pistil separate ; one of the cells laid open by a 

 vertical section, showing the erect ovule. 1153. Drupe, with the persistent scales at the base. 



1154. Transverse section of its endocarp, or two nucules, with the enclosed seed and embryo. 



1155. Vertical section of the seed. 



40* 



