Genus SWIETENIA, Linn. 



Cedrelaceae. Decendria Monogj-nia, 



Syst. Nat. Syst. Lin, 



Derivation. This genus was named in honour of the illustrious Gerard L. B. Van Swieten, a celebrated naturalist and physi- 

 cian of the last century. 



Generic Characters. Calyx short, obtusely 5-cleft. Petals 5, reflexed. Filaments 10, united into a sub- 

 campanulate, 10-toothed tube ; anthers included in the tube, alternate with the teeth, attached by the 

 middle, a])iculale. Style short ; stigma discoid, 5-radiate. Ovary ovoid, surrounded at the base by an 

 annular disk, 5-celled, with about 12 ovules in each cell. Capsule ovoid, 5-celled, dehiscing from the 

 base upward, with 5 septifragal valves ; the very thick and woody sarcocarp at length separable from 

 the endocarp ; the axis large, persistent, 5-angled above, 5-winged below, with the dissepiments. Seeds 

 suspended from the summit of the axis, about 12 in each cell, imbricated in two rows, rather flat ; the 

 thickened and spongy integument expanded above into an oblong wing, which is traversed by the filiform 

 funiculus. Embryo transverse ; radicle very short, looking towards the side of the cell. Cotyledons 

 conferruminate and confounded with the fleshy albumen. Leaves abruptly pinnate ; leaflets small, 

 somewhat inequilateral. Panicles axillary, or somewhat terminal, loosely flowered. Torrey and Gray, 

 from Ad. Jussieu. 



^HE genus Swietenia of Linnseus has been subdivided by modern 

 botanists, and at present, comprises but one species. The Swie- 

 tenia febrifuga has been formed into the Soymida ; Swietenia 

 se?iegale?isis, or African mahogany of Sierra Leone, has been 

 changed into Khaya ; Swietenia chloroxylon., or East India satin- 

 wood, has been formed into Chloroxylon swietenia ; and the 



Swietenia chikrassia, a hght-coloured, compact East India wood, has been 



changed into Chikrassia tabular is. 



