127 



cells, regular flowers, an annular disk, collateral ovules, and pinnated alter- 

 nate leaves without pellucid dots. 

 Anomalies. 



Essential Character Floivers hermaphrodite, occasionally unisexual. Cafyv 



persistent, somewhat regular, with from 2 to 5 divisions. Petals 3-5, inserted below a 

 disk arising from the calyx; cBstivation usually valvate. Stamens 2 or 4 times as many 

 as the petals, perigjmous, all fertile. Disk orbicular or annular. Ovarium 2-5-celled, 

 superior, sessile ; style 1 or ; stifpnas equal in number to the cells ; ovula in pairs, 

 attached to the axis, collateral. Fruit drupaceous, 2-5-celled, with its outer part often 

 splitting into valves. Seeds without albumen ; cotyledons either wrinkled and plaited, or 

 ileshy; radicle superior, straight, turned towards the hilum. — Trees or shrubs, abound- 

 ing in balsam, resin, or gum. Leaves alternate, unequally pinnate, occasionally with 

 stipulcB, usually without pellucid dots. Flowers axillary or terminal, in racemes or 

 panicles. 



Affinities. Differ from Anacardiaceee, to which they are closely 

 allied in their compound ovarium and pinnated leaves, and also in the very 

 generally valvate aestivation of the calyx. 



Geogkaphy. Exclusively natives of tropical India, Africa, and 

 America. 



Properties. They have all an abundance of fragrant resinous juice, 

 which is, however, destitute of the acridity and staining property of Anacar- 

 diacese. The resin of Boswellia is used in India as frankincense, and also 

 as pitch. It is hard and brittle, and, according to Dr. Roxburgh, is boiled 

 with some low-priced oil to render it soft and tit for use. The native 

 doctors prescribe it, mixed with ghee (clarified butter), in cases of gonor- 

 rhoea, and also in what they call Ritta Kaddapoo, which signifies flux 

 accompanied with blood. The wood is heavy, hard, and durable. Ainslie, 

 1. 137. The Boswellia serrata, called Libanus thurifera by Colebrooke, 

 produces the gum-resin Olibanum, a substance chiefly used as a grateful 

 incense, but which also possesses stimulant, astringent, and diaphoretic pro- 

 . perties. Ibid. 1. 267. A kind of coarse resin is obtained from Boswellia 

 glabra, and is used boiled with oil for pitching the bottom of ships. Ibid. 

 The Bursera paniculata, called Bois de Colophane in the Isle of France, 

 gives out, from the slightest wound in the bark, a copious flow of limpid 

 oil of a pungent turpentine odour, which soon congeals to the consistence 

 of butter, assuming the appearance of camphor. Brewster, 2. 182. The 

 gum of Canarium commune has the same properties as those of the Balsam 

 of Copaiva; the three-cornered nuts are eaten in Java both raw and dressed, 

 and an oil is expressed from them, which is used at table when fresh, and 

 for burning when stale. The raw nuts are, however, apt to bring on diar- 

 rhoea. Ainslie, 2. 60. Balsam of Acouchi is produced by Icica acuchini, 

 Gum elemi by Icica heptophylla, Balm of Gilead by Balsamodendron 

 Gileadense, Opobalsamum or Balsam of Mecca by B. opobalsamum, a sub- 

 stance like Gum elemi by Icica Icicariba, and Carana, and a yellow concrete 

 essential oil by Bursera acuminata. 



Examples. Boswellia, Bursera, Balsamodendrum. 



CXIII. ANACARDIACE^. The Cashew Tribe. 



Terebintace^, Juss. Gen. 368. {l^80) in part CASSuviEyE or AnacardtEj^, 



Brwim in Congo, 431. (1818) TEREBiNTACEyE, Kunth in Ann. des Sc. Nat. 



2. 333. (1824.) Trib. I and 2. Dec. Prodr. 2. 02. ^c. (1825) ; Juss. Diet, des Sc. 

 Nat. V. 53. (1828.) 



Diagnosis. Polypetalous dicotyledons, with perigynous stamens, a 



