50 



flowers, csespitose leaves, and glandular stems : some of the species have yellow 

 flowers, others have red, but none blue. They are natives of mountainous 

 tracts in Europe and the northern parts of the world, frequently forming the 

 chief beauty of that rich turf which is found near the snow in high Alpine 

 stations. Some grow on rocks and old walls, and in hedge-rows, or near 

 rivulets, or in groves. 



Properties. According to DecandoUe, the whole order is more or l.ess 

 astringent. The root of Heuchera americana is a powerful astringent, whence 

 it is called in North America Alum root. Barton, 1. 162. Otherwise they 

 possess no known properties ; 'for the old idea of their being lithontriptic 

 appears to have been derived from their name rather than their virtues. 



Examples. Saxifraga, Robertsonia, Adoxa, Parnassia. 



XXXIX. CUNONIACE^. 



CujfONiACE^, R. Br. in Flinders, 548. (1814). 



Diagnosis. Polypetalous dicotyledons, with definite perigynous sta- 

 mens, separate carpella, a more or less inferior ovarium, shrubby stem, and 

 interpetiolar stipulae. 



Anomalies. Petals sometimes wanting. 



Essential Character — Ca/y>i' 4 or 5 cleft, half superior or nearly inferior. Petals 

 4 or 5, occasionally wanting. S'/am^is perigynous, definite, 8-10. Ovarium 2-ce\ieA% the 

 cells having 2 or 'many seeds ; styles 1 or 2. Fruit 2-ceUed, capsular, or indehiscent. 



Embryo in the axis of fleshy albumen Trees or shrubs. Leaves opposite, compound or 



simple, usually with interpetiolar stipulce. 



Affinities. More readily distinguished from Saxifrageae by their widely 

 diflferent habit than by any very important characters in the fructification. 

 Brown in Flinders, 548. The shrubby habit and remarkable interpetiolar 

 stipules ar& their principal character. Baueracece are known by their in- 

 definite stamens, porous anthers, and want of stipnlse. 



Geography. Natives of the Cape, South America, and the East 

 Indies. 



Properties. A Weinmannia is used in Peru for tanning leather, and 

 its astringent bark is employed to adulterate the Peruvian bark. The Indian 

 Weinmannias appear to possess similar astringent qualities. Dec. 



Examples. Cunonia, Weinmannia. 



XL. BAUERACEtE. 



A section o/Cunoniacesp, Ji. Brown in Flinders, 548. (1814). 



Diagnosis. Polypetalous dicotyledons, with indefinite perigynous sta- 

 mens, ovaria adhering more or less to the calyx and each other, anthers 

 l)ursting by two pores, indefinite seeds, and no stipula\ 



Anomalies. 



EssEVTiAi, CnARACTER Si'pfils 8, foliaceous, inferior. Petals the same number, 



alternate with them, arising from the base of the calyx. Stamens indefinite, obscurely peri- 

 gynous; anthers oblong, Imrsting by two poies at the apex. Carpella 2, a little inferior, 

 coherent, each 1-celied, with ntinu'rinis ovula attached to a common central axis; style one, 

 filiform, to each ovarium. Fruit ca])siilar, opening at the ai)ex. Seeds indefinite, attached 



