115 



Properties. It is singular that while the leaves and branches of many of 

 these plants are unquestionably poisonous, the fruit of others is valuable as an 

 article of the dessert. Thus the Longan, the Litchi, and the Rambutan, fruits 

 among the most delicious of the Indian archipelago, are the produce of different 

 species of Euphoria. The fruit of Schmidelia edulis is known at desserts in 

 Brazil under the name of Fruta de parao ; it is said to have a sweet and 

 pleasant taste. PL Us. 67. That of Sapindus esculentus is very fleshy, and 

 much esteemed by the inhabitants of Certao, by whom it is called Pittomba. 

 Ibid. 68. Some species of Paullinia are stated, upon various authorities, to be 

 poisonous, especially the P. australis, to which principally M. Auguste de St. 

 Hilaire attributes the poisonous quality of the Lecheguana honey. Ed. P. J. 

 14. 269. The arillus of Paullinia subrotunda and of Blighia sapida is eata- 

 ble. The leaves of Magonia pubescens and glabrata, called Tinguy in Brazil, 

 are used for stupifying fishes : their bark is employed for healing sores in horses 

 caused by the stings of insects. A. St. Hil. Hist, des PI. 238. The fruit of 

 Sapindus saponaria is saponaceous. The root of Cardiospermum halicaca- 

 bum is aperient. Ainslie, 2. 204. 



Examples. Sapindus, Blighia, Paullinia. 



CI. ACERINEiE. The Sycamore Tribe. 



Acera. Juss. Gen. 50. (1789); Ann. Mus. 18. 477. (1811).— Acerine-e, Dec. TTieorie, ed. 2. 

 244. (1819); Prodr. 1. 593. (1824); Lindl. Synops. 55. (1829.) 



Diagnosis. Polype talous dicotyledons, with distinct hypogynous definite 

 stamens, concrete carpella, an ovarium of several cells with the placentae in the 

 axis, an imbricated calyx, unsymmetrical flowers, definite erect ovules, undi- 

 vided petals without appendages, and indehiscent winged fruit. 



Anomalies. The leaves of Negundium are compound. 



Essential Character. — Calyx divided into 5, or occasionally from 4 to 9 parts, with an 

 imbricate activation. Petals equal in number to the lobes of the calyx, inserted round a hy- 

 pogynou3 disk. Stamens inserted upon a hypogynous disk, generally 8, not often any other 

 number, always definite. Ovarium 2-lobed ; style 1 ; stigmas 2. Fruit formed of two parts, 

 which are indehiscent and winged; each 1-celled, with 1 or two seeds. Seeds erect, with a 

 thickened lining to the testa; albumen none; embryo curved, with foliaceous wrinkled cotyle- 

 dons, and an inferior radicle. — Trees. Leaves opposite, simple, rarely pinnate, without stipu- 

 he. Flowers often polygamous, sometimes apetalous, in axillary corymbs or racemes. 



Affinities. Related closely to Malpighiaceae in their winged fruit, to Sa- 

 pindaceae in the pinnate leaves of two species, and the unsymmetrical flowers 

 of the whole. 



Geography. Europe, the north of India, and North America, are the sta- 

 tions of this order, which is unknown in Africa and the southern hemisphere. 



Properties. They are only known for the sugary sap of Acer sacchari- 

 num and other species, from which sugar is extracted in abundance. [For 

 other properties see Raf. Med. Bot. 2. 185.] 



Examples. Acer, Negundium. 



