134 THAL AMI FLORAE. 



with pulp in which the seeds are nidulant, or many- 

 celled with the cells 1- or many-seeded : albumen 

 none : embryo straight : cotyledons thick. — De Cand. 

 abbr. 



Shrubs and trees, sometimes parasitic, yielding a resinous 

 juice : leaves opposite, very rarely alternate, coriaceous, shortly 

 petiolate, entire, with the lateral nerves pinnated : flowers 

 generally racemose and axillary, or panicled and terminal, or 

 crowded and lateral. They are natives of the East or West 

 Indies. The fruit of many of the species is edible, and lusciously 

 sweet to the taste. That of the Garcinia Mangostana, the 

 Mangosteen, a tree wliich has been introduced into this Island, 

 is described as surpassing all other fruits. With us, however, 

 it does not deserve this character. It is probable that it may 

 require certain peculiarities in soil and climate ; as it is only in 

 certain districts of India that it comes to perfection. Gamboge 

 is the inspissated juice of the Stalagmitiscambogioides of Mur- 

 ray, or Hebradendron cajmbogioides of Professor Graham, 

 a tree indigenous to Ceylon and a member of this Family. 



I. Clusia. 



Calycine sepals 4-8, imbricated, coloured. Petals 

 4-8. Stamens numerous, rarely definite. Style : 

 stigma radiato-peltate. Flowers commonly polygam- 

 ous ; with the ovary in those which are fertile sur- 

 rounded by a short thick stamineal nectary. Capsule 

 fleshy, coriaceous, 5-12-valved, with the divisions de- 

 hiscent from the apex : placentas triangular, fixed to 

 introflected valvules ; the internal angles of the pla- 

 centae forming a single central angulose placenta. 

 Seeds terete, attached either to the central placenta 

 or the lateral angles : cotyledons separable. — De 

 Cand. 



Parasitic trees, with opposite leaves. — Named in honour of 

 Charles de I'Ecluse, a celebrated Botanist, wdio lived in the 

 16th century. 



1 . Clusia flava. Yellow -flowered Balsam-tree. 



Flowers polygamous, calyx of many sepals, petals 

 4 yellow, stamens numerous short, stigmata about 12, 

 leaves obovate obtuse sometimes emarginate shortly 

 petiolate striated. 



Terebinthus folio singular! non alato rotundo succulento, 

 flore tetrapetalo pallide luteo, fructu majore monopyreno, Shane, 



