268 



L. MYRTACE.'E. Punica. 



Order XLIX. CALYCANTHACE^.— Calycanths. 



Shrubs with square stems exhibiting 4 axes of growth s'lrroundin? the central one. 



r»"? onnosite entire, simi'le. \vithout stipules. F.'s. Kolilarv', axillary. . ,, , 



Cfl/:_ <; Sepais numerous, colored, in several rows, confounded with the petals, all united below into a 



Cor— I fleshy tube or cup. . , . , . . •, • 



Sta 00, inserted into the fleshy nm of the calyx; inner row sterile. 



Ore. indefinite, in.-^ertedon the disk which lines the calyx tube. 



Ft.— Achenia hard, enclosed in the calyx tube as in genus Rosa. 



The order consists of but 2 £renera, Calycanthiis, American, and Chimonanthus of Japan. The specie* 

 Bie 6. The flowers are highly aromatic, and the same quality resides m the bark. 



CALYCANTHUS. 



Gr. Ka\v^, calyx, av^oi. a flower; from the character. 



Lobes of the calyx imbricated in many rows, lanceolate, somewliat 

 coriaceous and fleshy, colored ; stamens unequal, about 12 outer ones 

 fertile • anthers extrorse. Tke bark and leaves exhale the odor of cam- 

 phor. Fis. of a lurid purple. 



C. FLORiDUs. Carolina Allspice. Siceet-scented Shrub. 

 Lis. oval, mostly acute or acuminate, tomentose beneath ; branches spread- 

 in^-- /o?:rrs nearh' sessile. — Fertile soils along streams, Va. and all the S. 

 States Not uncommon in gardens farther north. The species of Willdenow 

 and Elliot are all referred to this of Linnaeus, by Torrey and Gray, as follows : 



/?. (C. Isevigatus Wdld.)—Lvs. oblong or ovate-lanceolate, acuminate or 

 gradualiv acute, glabrous ; branches erect. ■\ 



y. (C.'glauciis praw.)—i^r5. oblong or ovate-lanceolate, acummate, glaucous 

 and glabrous beneath ; branches spreading, t 



8. (C. inodorus. EU.)—Lvs. lanceolate, scabrous and shining above, smooth 

 below ; branches spreading. 



Order L. MYRTACEiE.— Myrtleblooms. 



Trees and s/iT-M&s, without stipules. ■ i ♦ »i,„.^o.„:„ 



Lvs. opposite entire, punctate, usually with a vein running close to the margin. 

 Cal. adherent below to the compound ovary, the bmb 4— 5-cleft. valvate. 

 Cw.— Petals as many as the segments of the calyx. , 

 Sta. indefinite. AntJiersiniTOTse. Style andsUg'nasimvle. 

 Fr. with many seeds. 

 A fine order, pf 45 genera and 1300 species, native of warm or torrid coiuitries, especially of S. America 



^"i?pV^/i'-A fragrant or pungent volatile oil, residing chiefly in the pellucid dotting of the leaves per- 

 vade-s the order. The CarAonhyllus aromaticu.s, native of Arabia a tree about 20 feet in height, yields the 

 clove {clou Fr. a nail) which is the dried flower Cajeput ojl is di.stilled fronc. the leaves of the Melaleu- 

 ca Caieputi. native of the E. Indies. A kind of gum kmo is obtained from Eucalyptus resinifera, aUo a 

 native of India The root of the Pomegranate yields an extract which is an excellent verraifuge.-AU the 

 genera are exotic with us.— ISIany of them are highly ornamental in culture. 



Genera. 



Fruit 2-3-celled Leaves everercen, with a marginal vein. ^l^/J,^' \ 



Fruit many-celled. Leaves deciduous, without the marginal vein PunuM. 2 



1. MYRTUS. Tourn. 

 Gr. jjivpov, perfume. 



Calyx 5-cleft ; petals 5 ; berry 2 — 3-celled ; radicle and cotyle- 

 dons distinct. — Shruba icith evergreen leaves. 



M. COMMUNIS. Commo7h Murlle. — Lvs. oblong-ovate, with a marginal vein ; 

 fls. solitary; invol. 2-lcaved.— This popular shrub is a native of S. Europe. In 

 our climate it is reared onlv in houses and conservatories. Among the ancients 

 it was a great favorite for" its elegance of form, and its fragrant, evergreen 

 leaves. It was sacred to Venus. The brows of bloodless victors were adorned 

 with myrtle wreaths, and at Athens it was an emblem of civic arthority. 

 Leaves about 1' by i'. Flowers white. Jl. Aug.f 

 2. PUNICA. 



Lat. Punica, Carlhagenian, or, of Carthage, wJiere it first grew. 



Calyx 5-cleft ; petals 5 ; berry many-celled, many-seeded ; seeds 

 baccate : placenta p:u-ictal. — JDcndifoiis trees and shrubs. 



