SIMAUUBE^. 197 



nous, alternating with the sepals, oblong, obtuse, spreading, 

 minutely puberulous externally, and 'glanduloso-punctulated. 

 Stamens 5, alternating with the petals, inserted below the disk. 

 Pistil in the centre of tlie disk: ovary minute : style erect: 

 stigma obtuse. Disk annular, glanduloso-papillose. Carpels 

 5, united to form a turbinate capsule, size of that of Abroma 

 AUGUSTA, and resembling it in form, truncated and pentangular 

 at the apex, muricated externally, bursting with a spring: en- 

 docarp distinct from the sarcocarp, 2-valved with the valves 

 connected below the apex by a membranaceous band to which 

 the seed is attached ; seeds solitary, ovate, acuminate, com- 

 pressed, of a brown colour : embryo at the apex of the seed. 



As the Angustura bark is obtained from G. cusparia, it is. 

 possible that this species also may be possessed of medicinal 

 properties. 



ORDER LII. SIMARUBE^. 



Flowers hermaphrodite or unisexual. Calyx 4-5- 

 partite, persistent. Petals 4-5, hypogynous. Sta- 

 mens equal or double the number of the petals, in- 

 serted on the disk, free. Ovary with as many lobes 

 as there are petals : style 1, filiform, enlarged at the 

 base. Carpels of the same number as the petals, in- 

 serted by a joint on the axis, capsular, bivalved, inter- 

 nally dehiscent, 1 -seeded. Seeds exalbuminous, pen- 

 dulous : cotyledons thick : radicle short, superior. 



Trees or shrubs, natives of the intertropical regions of the 

 New World : bark very bitter ; juice milky : leaves alternate, 

 pinnated, exstipulated. A new bitter principle, called Quas- 

 sine, has been detected by Dr Thomson, in several members 

 of this Family, particularly Quassia amara, and Simaruba 

 OFFICINALIS. It is of a brownish yellow colour, slightly trans- 

 parent, and very soluble in water or alcohol. Dr A. Palmieri 

 is stated, in the Journal de Pharmacie, xviii. 652. to have em- 

 ployed it with success for intermittent fever, in doses double 

 those usually given of Quinine. Quassia amara, a shrub, native 

 of Surinam, with beautiful crimson flowers, has been introduced, 

 and is now common in our gardens. 



