152 



Geography. S. Europe and the north of Africa are the countries 

 that Cistine83 chiefly inhabit. They are rare in North America, extremely 

 uncommon in South America, and scarcely known in Asia. 



Properties. None, except that the resinous balsamic substance, called 

 Labdanum, is obtained from Cistus creticus. 



Examples. Cistus, Helianlhemum. 



CXXXV. BIXINE^. The Arnotto Tribe. 



BixiNEiE, Kunth Diss. Malv. p. I?. (1822); Dec. Prodr. 1. 259. (1824). 



Diagnosis. Polypetalous dicotyledons, with indefinite hypogynous sta- 

 mens, concrete carpeila, a 1 -celled ovarium with narrow parietal placentae, 

 4-7 sepals, and an erect embryo. 



Anomalies. Corolla often wanting. 



Essential Character. — Sepals 4-7, either distinct or cohering at the base, with 

 an imbricated aestivation. Petals 5, like the sepals, or wanting. Stamens indefinite, 

 distinct, inserted upon a receptacle at the base of the calyx ; anthers 2-celled. Ovarium 

 superior, sessUe, l-ceUed; ovula proceeding from 4 to 7 parietal placentae; sti/le single, 

 or in 2 or 4 divisions. Fruit capsular, or berried, 1 -celled, many-seeded. Seeds attached 

 to parietal placentae, and enveloped in pulp; albumen either fleshy or very thin ; embryo 

 included, either straightish or Curved, with leafy cotyledons ; radicle pointing to the hilum. 

 — Trees or shrubs. Leaves alternate, simple, entire, usually with pellucid dots ; stipules 

 deciduous; peduncles axillary, 1- many-flowered, with bracteae. 



Affinities. The carpological characters of this order are very much 

 those of Cistinege and HomalineeE ; from the former, Bixineae differ in the 

 position of their radicle, and in many other particulars ; from the latter 

 they are distinguished by their hypogynous stamens, and consequently 

 superior fruit, by the distinct nature of the sepals and petals, when the latter 

 are present, &c. Their dotted leaves are remarkable among all the neigh- 

 bouring orders, and would alone suffice to characterise them, if they were 

 constant, but they are occasionally not dotted. Some of the genera were 

 formerly referred to Rosaceoe ; but the affinity of this order with that is 

 very weak; the plants which were formerly placed in it were imperfectly 

 known. 



Geography. All natives of the hotter parts of America, or of the islands 

 of the Mauritius. 



Properties. Bixa yields the substance known to the English by the 

 name of Arnotto, and to the French by that of Rocou. It is the pulp that 

 envelopes the seeds, and which is slightly purgative and stomachic. Farmers 

 use it to stain their cheeses, and dyers for a reddish colour. The bark of 

 F.udia is said to be emetic ; but it is uncertain whether that genus does not 

 belong to Homalinea'. 



Examples. Bixa, Prockia. 



CXXXVI. SARRACENNIEiE. 



SAimACENNiE/T, Tiirpin in Diet, des Sc. c. ic. ( ?); De la Pylaic in Ann. Linn. 

 Par. (!. ;HJ8. t. 13. (1827) ; Hooker Fl. Boreal. Am. p. 33. (182!)). 



Diagnosis. Polypetalous dicotyledons, with hypogynous indefinite dis- 

 tinct stamens, concrete carpeila, an ovarium of several cells with the placenta; 



