23 

 XIV. MYRISTICEiE The Nutmeg Tribe. 



Myhistice*, R. Brown, Prodr. 399. (1810.) 



Diagnosis. Apetalous dicotyledons, with dioecious flowers, a 3-lobed calyx, 

 ruminated albumen, and columnar stamens. 

 Anomalies. 



Essential CHARACTER.-i^/owcrs dioecious witli no trace of rudimentary organs. Calyx trifid, 

 with valvular estivation. Stamens. Filaments completely united in a cylinder. Anthers 3-12, 

 definite, 2-celled, turned outwards, and bursting longitudinally; either connate or distinct. 

 Fertile fl. Calyx deciduous. Ovary superior, sessile, with a single erect ovulum ; style very 

 short ; stigma somewhat lobed. Fruit baccate, dehiscent, 2-valved. Seed nut-like, enveloped 

 in a many-parted arillus ; albumen ruminate between fatty and fleshy ; embryo small ; cotyle- 

 dons foliaceous ; radicle inferior ; plumida conspicuous. — Tropical trees, often yielding a red 

 juice. Leaves alternate, without stipule, not dotted, quite entire, stalked, coriaceous ; usually, 

 when full grown, covered beneath with a closedown. Inflorescence axillary or terminal, in 

 racemes, gtomerules, or panicles ; the Jlowers each with one short cucullate bractea. Calyx 

 coriaceous, mostly downy outside, with the hairs sometimes stellate, smooth in the inside. — R. 

 J3r. chiefly. 



Affinities. Usually placed, on account of their apetalous flowers, in the 

 vicinity of Laurineae, from which they are distinguished by the structure of 

 their -calyx, anthers, and fruit; perhaps more nearly allied to Anonaceae, on 

 account of their 3-lobed calyx, — a remarkable peculiarity in Dicotyledons, — 

 their ruminated albumen, minute embryo, and sensible properties. Mr. Brown 

 places them between Proteaceee and Laurineae', remarking, that they are not 

 closely akin to any other order. 



Geography. Natives exclusively of the tropics of India and America. 



Properties. The bark abounds in an acrid juice, which is viscid and stains 

 red ; the rind of their fruit is caustic : the arillus and albumen, the former 

 known under the name of Mace, and the latter of Nutmeg, are important aro- 

 matics, abounding in a fixed oil of consistence analogous to fat, which, in a 

 species called Virola sebifera, is so conspicuous as to be extracted easily by im- 

 mersing the seeds in hot water. The common Nutmeg is the produce of 

 Myristica moschata ; but an aromatic fruit is also borne by other species. 

 The Nutmeg of Santa Fe is the Myristica Otoba. Humb. Chinch. For. p. 29. 

 Ettg. ed. 



Examples. Myristica, Knema. 



XV. MAGNOLIACEiE. The Magnolia tribe. 



Magnolije, Juss. Gen. 280.(1780); Magnoliace^, Dec. Syst. 1. 439. (1818); Prodi: I. 77. 



(1824.) 



Diagnosis. Polypetalous dicotyledons, with hypogynous stamens, anthers 

 bursting by longitudinal slits, numerous distinct simple carpella, and stipulate 

 leaves without transparent dots. 



Anomalies. The flowers of Mayna are dioecious. 



Essential Character. — Sepals 3-6, deciduous. Petals 3-27, hypogynous, in several rows. 

 Stamens indefinite, distinct, hypogynous. Anthers adnate, long. Or aria numerous, simple, 

 arranged upon the torus above the stamens, 1-ccllcd; orides either ascending or suspended; 

 style short; stigma simple. Fruit cither dry or succulent, consisting of numerous carpella, 

 which are either dehiscent or indehisccnt, distinct or partially connate, always numerous, and 

 arranged upon an elongated axis, sometimes terminated by a membranous wing. Seeds soli- 

 tary, or several, attached to the inner edge of the carpella. Embryo minute, at the base of 

 fleshy albumen.— Fine frees or shurbs. Leaves alternate, not dotted, coriaceous, articulated 



