. 76 



the scales in the throat of several genera of Thymelsese being of the same 

 nature as the bodies wrongly called petals in i^quilarineac. 



Geography. Natives sparingly of Europe, and the northern parts of 

 the world, common in the cooler parts of India and South America, and 

 abundant at the Cape of Good Hope and in New Holland. 



Properties. The great feature of this order is the causticity of the 

 bark, which acts upon the skin as a vesicatory, and causes excessive pain in 

 the mouth if chewed. A decoction of it is said to have been found useful 

 in venereal complaints. The berries of D. Laureola are poisonous to all ani- 

 mals except birds. Dec. The bark is composed of interlaced fibres, which 

 are extremely tough, but which are easily separable ; in Jamaica a species 

 is found which is called the Lace Bark Tree, in consequence of the beau- 

 tifuJly reticulated appearance of the inner bark : cordage has been manu- 

 factured from several species. A very soft kind of paper is made from 

 the inner bark of Daphne Bholua, in Nipal. Dec. Prodr. 68, Daphne 

 Gnidium and Passerina tinctoria are used in the south of Europe to dye wool 

 yellow. 



Examples. Daphne, Passerina, Struthiola. 



LXVI. HERNANDIE^. 



Hernandie^, Blume Bijdr. 550. (1825.) 



Diagnosis. Apetalous dicotyledons, with an inferior tubular deciduous 

 calyx, a single pendulous ovulum, no albumen, lobed cotyledons, and a caly- 

 cine involucellum to the female or hermaphrodite flowers. 



Anomalies. 



Essential Character Flowers moncecious or hermaphrodite, with a calycine 



invohicellum to the females or hermaphrodites. Calyx petaloid, inferior, tubular, 

 4-8-parted, deciduous. Stamens definite, inserted into the calyx in two rows, of which 

 the outer is often sterile ; anthers bursting longitudinally. Ovarium superior, 1-celled ; 

 ovulum pendulous; style 1, or none; stigma peltate. Drupe fil)rous, l-seeded. Seed soli- 

 tary, pendulous ; embryo without albumen, inverted ; cotyledons somewhat lobed, shrivelled, 

 oily Trees. Leaves alternate, entire. Spikes or corymbs axillary or terminal. 



Affinities. Adopted from Blume. It appears very near Thymelaeae, 

 differing almost solely in the fibrous drupaceous fruit, lobed cotyledons, and 

 the presence of a sort of involucrum to the female or hermaphrodite flowers. 

 Hernandia has been hitherto referred to Laurinese or Myristiceae, from both 

 of which it is obviously very different. Blume refers Inocarpus to the same 

 order; but this measure appears questionable. 



Geography. Natives of the Indian archipelago and Guiana. 



Properties. The bark, seed, and young leaves, are all slightly purga- 

 tive. According to Rumphius, the fibrous roots of Hernandia sonora, chewed 

 and "applied to wounds caused by the Macassar poison, form an effectual 

 cure. The juice of its leaves is a powerful depilatory ; it destroys hair 

 wherever it is applied, witliout pain. The wood appears to be very light. 

 According to Aublct, that of H. guiancnsis takes fire readily from a flint and 

 steel, and is used as amadou. 



Example. Hernandia. 



