131 



Finally, several Xanthoxyleous plants have in their habit, and especially in 

 their foliage, a marked resemblance to the Ash. The dioecious flowers of 

 Fraxinus, its ovarium, the two cells of which are compressed, having a 

 single style, 2 ovules in the inside, and scales on the outside, and which 

 finally changes into a samara which is 1-celled and 1-seeded by abortion, 

 all establish certain points of contact between Ptelea and Fraxinus." Ad. 

 de Jtiss. 



Geography. Most of the species belong to America, especially to 

 the tropical parts ; some are found in temperate regions ; they are rare in 

 Africa ; some exist in the Isles of France and Madagascar, many are natives 

 of India and China, and 1 is found in New Holland. 



Pkoperties. Nearly all aromatic and pungent. The Fagaras are 

 popularly called Peppers in the countries where they are found. Xantho- 

 xylum Clava and fraxineum are powerful sudorifics and diaphoretics ; they 

 are remarkable, according to Barton, for their extraordinary power in 

 exciting salivation, whether applied immediately to the gums or taken 

 internally : these two plants are reputed to have been used successfully 

 in paralysis of the muscles of the mouth and in rheumatic affections. 

 Xanthoxylum caribaeum is held to be a febrifuge. Dec. A plant called 

 Coentrilho in Brazil (Xanthoxylum hiemale) is employed as a remedy for pain 

 in the ear, for which purpose the powder of its bark is made use of. Its 

 wood is very hard, and valuable for building. PL Usuelles, 37. The fruit 

 of Ptelea has a strong, bitter, aromatic taste, and is said to have been used 

 with some success as a substitute for hops. Dec. The bark of a species 

 of Brucea is stated by Dr. Horsfield to be of a bitter nature, and to possess 

 properties similar to those of Quassia Simarouba. Ainslie, 2. 105. The 

 Brucea antidysenterica contains a poisonous principle called Brucia, which 

 is similar in its effects to Strychnia, but 12 or 16 times less energetic than 

 that alkali. Turner, 652. 



Examples. Xanthoxylum, Toddalia, Blackburnia. 



CXV. DIOSMEiE. The BucKu Tribe. 



IhosMEi?:, R. Brown in Flinders., (1814) — Rutaceje, Dec. Prodr. 1. 709. (1824) chiefly. 

 — DiosjiE^, Ad. de Jussieu Rutacees, 1. 83. (1825). — Fraxinelle.e, Nees 



and Martins Nov. Act. Bonn. 11. 149. (1823) Cusparie^, Dec. Mem. Mus. 



9. 141. (1822) ; Prodr. 1. 729. (1824), a § o/Rutaceae. 



Diagnosis. Polypetalous dicotyledons, with definite hypogynous sta- 

 mens, concrete carpella, an entire ovarium of several cells, an imbricated 

 calyx, symmetrical hermaphrodite flowers, 2 ovules, endocarp separable from 

 the sarcocarp as a 2-valved coccus, and exstipulate dotted leaves. 



Anomalies. Some of the genera are monopetalous, others have the 

 carpella in great part distinct. Empleurum has no petals. Dictamnus and 

 some others have irregular flowers and more ovules than 2. According to 

 Mr. Brown, there is a New Holland genus, with perigynous stamens, 10 

 segments of the calyx, 10 petals, and indefinite stamens. 



Essential Character Flowers hermaphrodite, regular or irregular. Calyx in 



4 or 5 divisions. Petals either as many as the divisions of the calyx, distinct, or combined 

 into a kind of spurious monopetalous corolla, or occasionally wanting ; cestivatimi for the 

 most part twisted-convolute, very rarely somewhat valvular. Stamens equal in number 

 to the petals, or twice as many, or even fewer in consequence of abortion, hypogynous, very 

 rarely perigynous, placed on the outside of a disk or cup surrounding the ovarium, and 

 either free or combined with the base of the calyx, or sometimes obsolete. Ovarium sessile 



