132 

 CXVI. RUTACE/E. The Rue Tribe. 



Rutje, Juss. Gen. 296. (1789) in part. Rutace.e, Dec. Prodr. 1. 709. (1824) in part.— Ru- 



teje, Adrien de Juss. Rulacees 78. (1825.) 



Diagnosis. Polypetalous dicotyledons, with definite hypogynous stamens, 

 concrete carpella, an entire ovarium of several cells, an imbricated calyx, sym- 

 metrical monoclinous flowers, capsular fruit, endocarp not separable from the 

 sarcocarp, and exstipulate dotted leaves. 



Anomalies. Cyminosma differs in habit from the rest. 



Essential Character.— Floicers monoclinous, regular. Calyx with 4 or 5 divisions. Pe- 

 tals alternate with the divisions of the calyx, with a twisted-convolute aestivation, rarely con- 

 volute, or twisted separately. Stamens 2 or occasionally 3 times as many as the petals, in- 

 serted round the base of the stalk of the calyx, which is sometimes disciform. Ovarium di- 

 vided more or less deeply into 3 or 5 lobes, with from 3 to 5 cells ; ovules in each cell 4, or 

 from 4 to 20, pendulous, or attached to the axis ; style simple, or often (in the ovaries which 

 are deeply lobed) separated at the base; stigma 3- or 5-cornered, or furrowed. Capsule either 

 with 3 loculicidal valves, or with from 4 to 5 lobes, which open internally at the apex ; the sar- 

 cocarp not separable from the endocarp. Seeds often fewer than the ovules, pendulous or ad- 

 nate, reniform, pitted, with a testaceous integument ; embryo lying within fleshy albumen, 

 white or greenish; radicle superior; cotyledons flat. Ad. J.— Herbaceous plants, or small 

 shrubs. Leaves without stipula; (with one exception), alternate, simple, deeply lobed, or pin- 

 nate, commonly with pellucid dots. Flowers often with a centrifugal inflorescence, white, or 

 more frequently yellow. 



Affinities. Allied to Zygophylleae by Peganum, which A. de Jussieu ac- 

 tually places with Rutacea?, although its stipulate leaves destitute of pellucid 

 dots appear to determine its greatest affinity to be with Zygophyllere. From 

 Diosmeoe they differ in scarcely any thing except the dehiscence of their fruit. 



Geography. Found in the south of Europe, whence they extend in our 

 hemisphere as far as the limits of the Old World, following the southern part 

 of the tempeiate zone, and very rarely advancing within the tropics. Ad. 

 de J. 



Properties. Their powerful odour and their bitterness characterize them ; 

 they act principally on the nerves. Common Rue, and another species, are 

 said to be emmenagogue, anthelmintic, and sudorific. 



Examples. Ruta, Peganum. 



CXVII. CORIARIE^E. 



CoRiAniEiE, Dec. Prodr. 1. 739. (1824.) 



Diagnosis. Polypetalous dicotyledons, with definite hypogynous stamens, 



anthers bursting by longitudinal slits, 5 distinct simple carpella surrounding a 

 fleshy axis, exstipulate leaves without pellucid dots, no albumen, filiform stig- 

 mas, and sepaloid petals. 

 Anomalies. 



Essential Character. — Flowers either monoclinous, or monoecious, or dicecious. Calyx 

 campanulatc, 5-parted, ovate. Petals 5, alternate with the lobes of the calyx, and smaller 

 than they are, fleshy, with an elevated keel in the inside. Stamens 10, arising from the torus, 

 5 between the lobes of the calyx and the angles of the ovarium, 5 between the petals and the 

 furrows of the ovarium ; filaments filiform; anthers oblong, 2-cclled. Ovarium seated on a 

 thickish torus, 5-cclled, 5-angled; style 0; stigmas 5, long, subulate; ovula solitary, pendu- 

 lous. Carpella 5, when ripe close together but separate, indchiscent, 1-seeded, surrounded 

 with glandular lobes. Seed pendulous; albumen none; embryo straight; radicle superior; 



