39 



with a sweet and agreeable mucilage, which the Brazilians suck with much 

 pleasure. In Martinique the young bark is used to clarify sugar, for which the 

 copious mucilage it yields when macerated qualifies it. In the same island the 

 infusion of the old bark is esteemed as a sudorific, and useful in cutaneous 

 diseases. Ibid. 47. The buttery, slightly bitter substance, called Cocoa, is 

 obtained from the seeds of Theobroma Cacao, and from this Chocolate is pre- 

 pared. 



XXVIII. MORINGEiE. 



Moringe-s:, R. Brown in Dcnkam, p. 33. (1826.) 



Diognosis. Polypetalous dicotyledons, with perigynous stamens, concrete 

 carpella, a superior 1-celled ovarium with parietal placentae, a 3-valved capsule, 

 somewhat irregular flowers, and embryo without albumen. 



Anomalies. 



Essential Character. — Calyx consisting of 5 nearly equal divisions (deciduous Dec.,) the 

 tube lined with a fleshy disk ; astitation slightly imbricated. Corolla of 5 nearly equal pe- 

 tals, the uppermost of which is ascending, btamens 10, arising from the top of the tube of the 

 calyx ; 5 opposite the sepals, sometimes sterile ; .filaments slightly petaloid, callous and hairy 

 at the base; anthers simple, 1-celled, with a thick convex connectivum. Ovarium stipitate, 

 superior, 1-celled, with 3 parietal placenta; ; style filiform, terminal, not obliquely inserted ; 

 stigma simple. Fruit a long pod-like capsule, with 3 valves, and only 1 cell ; the valves bear- 

 ing the seeds along their middle. Seeds numerous, half buried in the fungous substance of 

 the valves, sometimes winged ; embryo without albumen ; radicle straight, very small ; cotyle- 

 dons fleshy, plano-convex. — Trees. Leaves pinnate, with an odd one. Flowers in panicles. 



Affinities. Confounded with Leguminosae, until separated by the autho- 

 rity of Mr. Brown, who does not, however, point out the real affinities of the 

 order. M. Decandolle, who did not overlook its anomalous structure as a Le- 

 guminous plant, accounted for the compound nature of its fruit upon the sup- 

 position, that although unity of carpellum is the normal structure of Legumi- 

 nosae, yet the presence of more ovaria than one, in a few instances in that or- 

 der, explained the constantly trilocular state of that of Moringa. To this, how- 

 ever, there are numerous and grave objections, which cannot fail to strike every 

 botanist. To me it appears very near Bignoniaceee, notwithstanding its polype- 

 talous corolla, agreeing with that order in its compound fruit, winged seeds, 

 irregular uowers, and compound leaves. It may be also compared with Mal- 

 vaceae, on account of its nearly valvate sepals, or rather with Biittneriaceae on 

 the same account, and because of its sterile stamens alternating with the fertile 

 ones ; its habit is, however, against the approximation, and it is probable that 

 these coincidences indicate analogy rather than affinity. 



Geography. Natives of the East Indies and Arabia. 



Properties. The root of the Hyperanthera Moringa has a pungent odour, 

 with a warm, biting, and somewhat aromatic taste ; it is used as a stimulant in 

 paralytic affections and intermittent fever ; it is also employed as a rubefacient, 

 Ainslie, 1. 175. The nuts (seeds) of this plant, are called by the French pois 

 qutniques and chicot. Ibid. 



Example. Moringa. 



