134 



atmosphere surrounding it actually becomes inflammable in hot weather. 

 Its root was formerly employed as a sudorific and vermifuge. 



A. de Jussieu divides the species of this order geographically, and, 

 what is very singular, he finds their fructification in accord with their 

 geographical distribution. His sections are : 



1. European. ^ 



One from the south of Europe. 



2. Cape. 

 All from the Cape of Good Hope, and scarcely extending beyond the 

 colony. 



3. Australasian. 

 Inhabitants of New Holland, within or without the tropics, and Van 

 Diemen's Island. 



4. American. 

 Sect. I. South America, New Zealand, the Friendly Islands, Mexico. 

 Sect. II. (Cusparieae, Dec. Fraxinella;, Nees and Martins chiefly.) 

 South America, West Indies. 



Examples. Diosma, Adenandra, Agathosma, Monniera, Ticorea. 



CXVI. RUTACE^. The Rue Tribe. 



RuTiE, Juss. Gen. 296. (1789) in part. — Rutace^, Dec. Prodr. 1. 709. (1824) inparl. 

 — RuTEjf;, Adrien de Juss. Rutacies, ^8. (1825.) 



Diagnosis. Polypetalous dicotyledons, with definite hypogynous sta- 

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

 calyx, symmetrical hermaphrodite flowers, capsular fruit, endocarp not 

 separable from the sarcocarp, and exstipulate dotted leaves. 



Anomalies. Cyminosma diflfers in habit from the rest. 



Essential Character — Flowers hermaphrodite, regular. Calyx with 4 or 5 

 divisions. Petals alternate with the divisions of the calyx, with a twisted-convolute aesti- 

 vation, rarely convolute, or twisted separately. Stamens 2 or occasionally .'J times as many 

 as the petals, inserted round the base of the stalk of the calyx, which is sometimes disci- 

 form. Ovarium divided more or less deeply into 3 or 5 lobes, with from 3 to 5 cells ; ovules 

 in each cell 4, or from 4 to 20, pendulous, or attached to the axis ; style simple, or often 

 (in the ovaries which are deeply lobed) separated at the base ; stiyma 3- or 5-cornered, or 

 furrowed. Capsule either with .'} loculicidal valves, or with from 4 to 5 lobes, which open 

 internally at the apex ; the sarcocaq) not separable from the endocarp. Seeds often fewer 

 than the ovules, pendulous or adnate, reniform, pitted, with a testaceous integument ; 

 embryo lying within fleshy albumen., white or greenish; radicle superior; cotyledons flat. 



Ad. J Herbaceous i)laiits, or stnall shrubs. Leai-es without stipuhe (with one exception), 



alternate, simjile, deeply lobed, or pinnate, commonly with pellucid dots. Flowers often 

 with a centrifugal inflorescence, white, or more frequently yeUow. 



Affinities. Allied to Zygophylleaj by Pcganum, which A. de Jussieu 

 actually places with Rutaccpc, although its stipulate leaves destitute of pellucid 

 dots appear to determine its greatest affinity to be with Zygophylleaj. From 

 Diosmc'cE they difter in scarcely any thing except the dehiscence of their 

 fruit. 



Geography. Found in the south of Europe, whence they extend in 

 our hemisphere as far as the limits of the Old World, following the southern 

 part of the temperate zone, and very rarely advancing within the tropics. 

 Ad. de J. 



