85 



Geography. These plants are principally found in the tropical regions of 

 Africa and America : none are recorded as natives of Asia ; but there is reason 

 to believe, from specimens of large trees seen in the forests of India, without 

 flowers or fruit, by Dr. Waltich. that one or two species of Parinarium are indi- 

 genous in Equinoctial Asia ; and my genus Cycnia, founded upon a spiny 

 plant from Nipal {Wall. Cat. Herb. Intl.), is apparently referable to this order. 

 One species of Chrysobalanus is found as far to the north as the pine barrens 

 of Georgia in North America ; a climate, however, as in all the regions bound- 

 ing the Gulf of Mexico on the norfh, much more heated than that of most 

 other countries in the same parallel of latitude. 



Properties. No medicinal properties have been ascribed to Chrysoba- 

 laneae. The fruit of Chrysobalanus Icaco is eaten in the West Indies, under 

 the name of the cocoa-plum ; another is brought to market in Sierra Leone 

 (C. luteus) ; and the Rough-skinned, or Gray, plum of the same colony is the 

 produce of Parinarium excelsum. The kernel of Parinarium campestre and 

 montanum is said by Aublet to be sweet and good to eat. 



Examples. Chrysobalanus, Parinarium, Hirtella. 



LXXVII. LEGUMINOSiE. The Pea Tribe. 



Leguminosje, Juss. Gen. 345. (1789) ; Brown Diss. (1822) ; Dec. Prodr. 2. 93. (1825) ; Lindl. 



Synops. 75. (1829.) 



Diagnosis. Polypetalous dicotyledons, with a terminal style and solitary 

 simple superior ovarium, perigynous definite stamens, exalbuminous seeds, peri- 

 tropal ovula, leguminous fruit, and alternate stipulate leaves. 



Anomalies. The Detariurns are apetalous and drupaceous. Ceratonia, 

 Copaifera, and five or six other genera, are also apetalous. Some Mimoses 

 are monopetalous ; the latter section and Swartzies have usually also hypo- 

 gynous stamens. Diphaca and a species of Ceesalpinia have regularly 2 ova- 

 ria. Ormosia has 2 stigmas. Dec. Sophora, Myrospermum, and some others, 

 have no stipulre. Some have opposite leaves. 



Essential Chahacter. — Calyx 5-parted, toothed, or cleft, inferior, with the odd segment 

 anterior ; the segments often unequal, and variously combined. Petals 5, or by abortion 4, 3, 

 2, 1, or none, inserted into the base of the calyx, either papilionaceous or regularly spreading-; 

 the odd petal posterior. Stamens definite or indefinite, perigynous, either distinct or monadel- 

 phous, or diadelphous ; very seldom triadelphous ; anthers versatile. Ovarium simple, supe- 

 rior, 1-celled, 1- or many-seeded; style simple, proceeding from the upper margin; stigma 

 simple. Fruit either a legume or a drupe. Seeds attached to the upper suture, solitary or 

 several, occasionally with an arillus ; embryo destitute of albumen, either straight or with the 

 radicle bent upon the cotyledons ; cotyledons either remaining under ground in germination, 

 or elevated above the ground, and becoming green like leaves.— Herbaceous plants, shrubs, or 

 vast trees, extremely variable in appearance. Leaves alternate, most commonly compressed; 

 petiole tumid at the base. Slipulce 2 at the base of the petiole, and 2 at the base of each leaflet. 

 Pedicels usually articulated, with 2 bracteolai under the flower. 



Affinities. The most common feature is, to have what are called 

 papilionaceous flowers ; and when these exist, no difficulty is experienced in 

 recognizing the order, for papilionaceous flowers are found no where else. 

 Another and a more invariable character is to have a leguminous fruit ; and by 

 one of these two characters all the plants of the family are known. It is 

 remarkable, however, for the complete obliteration of one or the other of these 

 distinctions in many cases. Mimosa and its allies have, instead of the irregular 

 arrangement which characterizes a papilionaceous flower, its parts of fructifi- 



