488 XXXVIII. SAPINDACE.E, [Distichosiemon. 



strong ; islands of the Gulf of Carpentaria, R. Brown, Ilenne ; from Arntem's Land to 

 ttc sources of Gilbert's Kiver, not rare, F. Mueller, 



From the above very unsatisfactory description, it cannot be an Alectryon^ and is most pro- 

 bably not Sapindaceous, 



OiiDER XXXIX. ANACARDIACE^. 



riowers unisexual polygamous or hermapLrodite, usually regular. Calyx 

 of 3 to 5 lobes or distinct sepals. Petals 3 to 7, rarely none. Disk usually 

 annular or broad. Stamens of the same number or twice as many as petals, 

 very rarely indefinite, inserted round the disk or rarely upon it ; filaments 

 free ; anthers versatile. Ovary superior, usually 1-celled, with 1 to 3 styles, 

 or in the Spondieee 2- to 5-celled, or very rarely of 2 to 5 distinct cai'pels, or 

 in male flowers reduced to 4 or 5 rudimentary style-like carpels. Ovules so- 

 litai-y in the ovary or in each of its cells, pendulous or broadly adnate to the 

 side of the cavity, or suspended from a free funicle erect from the base of the 

 cavity, with a dorsal raphe and inferior micropyle ; very rarely in genera not 

 Australian erect, with a ventral raphe and inferior micropyle. Fruit superior 

 or rarely half inferior, free or adnate at tlic base to the enlarged calyx-tube or 

 disk, 1 -celled or (in Spondiece) several-celled, usually dnipaceous and inde- 

 hiscent. Seed erect horizontal or pendulous; albumen none or very thin. 

 Embrj^o straight or incurved, cotyledons usually fleshy ; radicle short, in- 

 ferior or more frequently turned upwards or superior. — Trees or shrubs, the 

 bark often exuding a caustic, balsamic or gummy juice. Leaves alternate or 

 very rarely opposite, witliout real stipules, simple or ternately or pinnately 

 compound, usually without glandular dots. Inflorescence various, usually 

 paniculate, with small flowers. Flesh of the drupes usually oily or full of 

 caustic juice. 



Thc Order is abundantly distributed over the tropical regions of the New and the Old 

 "World, more rare iu temperate climates. Of the five Anstrahan genera, two are common to 

 the New and the Old World, two are Asiatic, and the fifth is endemic. 



Ovary 1-celled or carpels distinct. 

 Leaves 2)innate or S-foliolate. 



Stamens 5 or 10. Ovule suspended from an erect funicle ... 1. Rhus. 



Stamens 10. OviUes suspended from the top of the cavity • • . 3. Elkoschinus. 

 Leaves simple. 



Stamens 10. Carpels 5 or 6. Ovules suspended from an erect 



funicle 2. Buchanania, 



Stamens 5. Ovary l-celled. Ovule suspended from the top of the 



cavity 4. SEMECAurvs. 



Ovary 2- or more celled. Leaves pinnate. Stamens 8 or 10. Ovules 



suspended from the top of the cavity 5. SroNDUS. 



]. RHUS, Linn. 



Flowers polygamous. Calyx small, of 4 to 6, usually 5, imbricate sepals. 

 Petals as many as sepals, imbricate in the bud. Disk broad, flat or annular. 



