20 



structure of their fruit, parietal placentae, and indefinite stamens : from these 

 last they are known by their narrow placentae, exalbuminous seeds, and pecu- 

 liar habit ; and from the former by a number of obvious characters. Mr. 

 Brown remarks, (Denham, 15,) that some species of Capparis, of which C. 

 spinosa is an example, have as many as 8 placentae. 



Geography. These are chiefly found in the tropics and in the countries 

 bordering upon them, where they abound in almost every direction. Of the 

 capsular species, a single one, Cleome violacea, is found in Portugal ; another, 

 Polanisia graveolens, occurs as far to the north as Canada ; and one or two 

 others are met with in the southern provinces of the United States. Of the 

 fleshy-fruited kinds, the common Caper, Capparis spinosa, a native of the 

 most southern parts of Europe, is that which approaches the nearest to the 

 north ; Africa abounds in them. 



Properties. M. Decandolle compares Capparideaj with Cruciferae in 

 regard to their sensible qualites ; and they no doubt resemble each other in 

 many respects ; for instance, the Capers are stimulant, antiscorbutic, and 

 aperient ; the bark of the root of the Caper passes for a diuretic ; and several 

 species of Cleome have a pungent taste, like that of mustard. The root of 

 Cleome dodecandra is used as a vermifuge in the United States. Cleome 

 icosandra acts as a vesicatory, and is used in Cochin China as a sinapism. 

 Dancer states that the bark of the root of Crateva gynandra blisters like Can- 

 tharides. Ainslie, 2. 88. But there is an exception to this in a plant called 

 Fruta de Burro, which is found in the neighbourhood of Carthagena, the fruit 

 of which is extremely poisonous. It is supposed to be a species of Capparis, 

 nearly allied to theCapp. pulcherrima of Jacquin ; and must not be confounded 

 with the Fruta del Burro of Humboldt, found in Guiana, which is a valuable 

 medical plant, belonging to Anonacese. 



This order is divided into Cleome^e, or the genera wiih herbaceous stems 

 and capsular fruit, and CapparejE, or true Capers, which have shrubby stems 

 and fleshy fruit. 



Examples. Cleome, Capparis. 



XII. FLACOURTIACEjE. 



Flacourtiace*:, Richard in Mem. Mus. 1. 366. (1815 ;) Dec. Prodr. 1. 255. (1829.) 



Diagnosis. Polypetalous dicotyledons, with hypogynous stamens, concrete 

 carpella, and a 1 -celled ovarium, with parietal placentae branching all over the 

 surface of the inside. 



Anomalies. Ryania, Patrisia, Flacourtia, Roumea, and Stigmarota, that 

 is to say, more than half the .order, have no petals. 



Essential Character.— Sepals definite, from 4-7, cohering slightly at the base. Petals 

 equal to the latter in number and alternate with them, seldom wanting 1 . Stamens hypogy- 

 nous, of the same number as the petals, or twice as many, or some multiple of them, occa- 

 sionally changed into nectariferous scales. Ovarium roundish, distinct, sessile or slightly 

 talked ; .s/y/e either none or filiform; stigmas several, more or less distinct. Fruit 1-celled, 

 either fleshy and indehiscent, or capsular, with 4 or 5 valves, the centre filled with a thin pulp. 

 ■SlvyAs few, thick, usually enveloped in a pellicle formed by the withered pulp, attached to the 

 BUrface of (he valves in a branched manner, not in a line as in Violca: and Passiflorese ; 

 albumen fleshy, somewhat oily; embryo straight in the axis, with the radicle turned to the 

 hilum, and therefore usually superior; cotyledons flat, foliarcous.— Shrubs or small trees, 

 leaves alternate, simple, on short stalks, without stipula;, usually entire, and coriaceous. 

 Peduncles axillary, many-flowered. Flowers sometimes monoclinous. 



Affinities. The unilocular fruit, over the whole of the inside of which 

 the placenta spread, is, according to Decandolle, sufficient to distinguish them 



