78 



confirm, if analogy could be admitted as evidence in cases which can be decided 

 without it. I may remark, that the statement of M. Decandolle, that the sta- 

 mens are opposite the sepals (Prodr. 3. 53.) is inaccurate ; they are, as Mr. 

 Brown describes them (Congo) opposite the petals. 



Geography. All tropical, and chiefly African or Indian. Four or five 

 species are described from the West Indies and South America. 



Properties. Unknown. 



Examples. Astranthus, Blackwellia, Homalium. 



LXXI. SAMYDE.E. 



Samydeje, Vent. Mem. Ins. 2. 142. (1807) ; Gcerln. fil. Carp. 3. 238. 242. (1S05) ; Kunth. Nor. 

 Gen. 5. 360. (1821) ; Dec. Prodr. 2. 47. (1825.) 



Diagnosis. Apetalous dicotyledons, with indefinite ovules, a 1-celled ova- 

 rium with parietal placentae, dehiscent fruit, monoclinous flowers, perigynous 

 monadelphous stamens, and leaves with a mixture of round and oblong dots. 



Anomalies. 



Essential Ch akacter. — Sepals 3, 5, or 7, more or less cohering- at the base, usually coloured 

 inside ; aestivation somewhat imbricated, very seldom completely valvate. Petals 0. Stamens 

 arising from the tube of the calyx, 2, 3, or 4 times as many as the sepals ; filaments monadel- 

 phous, either all bearing anthers, or alternately shorter, villous or ciliated, and alternately 

 bearing ovate 2-celled erect anthers. Ovarium superior, 1-celled; style I, filiform; stigma 

 capitate, or slightly lobed ; orula indefinite, attached to parietal placenta. Capsule coriaceous, 

 with 1 cell and from 3 to 5 valves, many-seeded, the valves dehiscing imperfectly, often some- 

 what pulpy inside, and coloured. Seeds fixed to the valves, without order, on the papillose or 

 pulpy part, with a fleshy arillus and excavated hilum ; albumen fleshy ; embryo inverted, mi- 

 nute ; cotyledons ovate, foliaceous ; radicle pointing to the extremity remote from the hilum. 

 — Threes or shrubs. Leaves alternate, often somewhat distichous, simple, entire or toothed, 

 evergreen, with stipulse, usually with pellucid dots, which are most frequently oblong. Pe- 

 duncles axillary, solitary, or .numerous. 



Affinities. Placed in Dichlamydea^ by Decandolle, who, however, de- 

 scribes them as apetalous, " unless the petaloid layer covering the inner sur- 

 face of the sepals be considered a corolla," a proposition which it is impossible 

 to admit.- This order appears to be of very uncertain affinity. Its fruit ap- 

 proximates it to Bixinere, its dotted leaves to Terebintacere, near which Decan- 

 dolle stations it, and its perigynous stamens to Rosacea^, with which its alter- 

 nate stipulate leaves also ally it. Mr. Brown observes, that Samydere are 

 especially distinguished by their leaves having a mixture of round and linear 

 pellucid dots, which distinguish them from all the other families with which 

 they are likely to be confounded. Congo, 444. 



Geography. Chiefly natives of the West Indies and South America ; a 

 very few only are described from India. 



Properties. Unknown. The bark and leaves are said to be astringent in 

 a slight degree. Dec. 



Examples. Samyda, Casearia. 



LXXII. SANGUISORBEiE. The Burnet Tribe. 



Rosaceje, § Sanguisorbca:, Juss. Gen. 336. (1789) ; Dec. Prodr. 2. 588. (1828) ; Lindl. Synops. 



102. (1829.) 



Diagnosis. Apetalous dicotyledons, with definite suspended ovula, an in- 

 ferior tubular indurated calyx, with perigynous stamens, indehiscent fruit, and 

 alternate stipulate leaves. 



