PORLIERIA. 



441. P. hygrometrica B. and P. syst. 94. DC. prodr. 

 i. 707. A. de J. rutac. 74. — Waste places in Chili and Peru. 

 (Turucasa.) 



A hard-wooded, rigid, scrubby, grey-barked bush. Leaves opposite, 

 usually as if fasciculated in consequence of the shortness of the lateral 

 branches, with 2 short spiny stipules, abruptly pinnated ; leaflets closing 

 at the approach of rain, in 4-6 pairs, very small, linear-oblong, emar- 

 ginate, smooth, sessile ; petiole slightly downy. Peduncles clustered 

 and solitary, terminal, downy, 1-flowered. — Properties similar to those 

 of Guaiacum. 



XANTHOXYLACEiE. 



Nat. syst. ed. 2. p. 135. 



PTELEA. 



Flowers unisexual. Calyx short, 4-5-parted. Petals 4-5, 

 longer than the calyx, spreading. $ . Stamens 4-5, longer than 

 the petals ; filaments thickened and hairy at the base, inserted 

 round a receptacle bearing an abortive pistil. J . Stamens 4-5, 

 very short, with abortive anthers. Ovary upon a convex recep- 

 tacle, compressed, 2-celled. Fruit compressed, membranous in de- 

 hiscent, turgid in the middle, surrounded by an orbicular wing. 



442. P. trifoliata Linn. sp. pL 173. WUld. i. 670. 

 Torrey fl. i. 1 89. Dull. arb. t. 43. — Shady moist hedges and 

 edges of woods, among rocks in the United States. 



A shrub 6-8 feet high. Leaves ternate, with pellucid dots ; leaflets 

 oblong, acuminate, sessile, downy beneath, crenulate or obscurely 

 toothed. Flowers greenish white in terminal spreading panicles. — 

 Young green shoots anthelmintic. Fruit aromatic and bitter, and a 

 good substitute for hops. 



XANTHOXYLON. 



Dicecious. Calyx short, 3-4-5-partite. Petals as many and 

 longer than the sepals, very rarely wanting. $ . Stamens as 

 many as the petals, equal to or longer than them, inserted round 

 the base of the gynophore. Pistillum rudimentary, simple or 

 compound. $ . Stamens usually wanting, sometimes very short, 

 and either with or without abortive anthers. Ovaries (1-5) as 

 many as the petals or fewer, seated on a globose or cylindrical 

 gynophore : ovules 2 in each cell, suspended, collateral. Styles 

 1 from the apex of each ovary, either distinct or united at the 

 apex, sometimes very short or scarcely any. Capsules 1-5, 

 215 p 4 



