133 



cotyledons 2, fleshy. — Shrubs, with opposite square branches, often 3 on each side, 2 of them 

 being secondary to an intermediate principal one. Leaves opposite, simple, 3-ribbed, entire, 

 ovate, or cordate. Buds scaly. Racemes terminal, simple, leafy at the base ; pedicels often 

 with two little bractea; in the middle. 



Affinities. Placed by M. Decandolle immediately after Ochnaceae, with 

 which the order no doubt agrees, in having its ovaria distinct, and surrounding 

 a fleshy axis ; but the stigmata in Coriariese are long, linear, and distinct, with 

 no style, while Ochnaceae have a single style connecting the carpella and mi- 

 nute stigmas; the former, therefore, are apocarpous, the latter syncarpous. 

 Coriarieaa are also certainly allied to Rulaceae, but they differ from them as they 

 do from Ochnaceae ; and besides, the carpella are in Rutacea; connate. With 

 Connaracere they agree in several points, while they are different in others. 

 Upon the whole, their exact affinity may be considered unsettled. 



M. Decandolle understands Coriaria as apetalous, but I do not see upon 

 what principle, either of structure or analogy. In his Essai sur les Proprittes 

 Midicales he referred it to the vicinity of Rhamneae, p. 350. Jussieu referred 

 it to Malpighiaceae. 



Geography. 4 from Peru, 1 from the south of Europe and North of 

 Africa, 1 from New Zealand, and 1 from Mexico. 



Properties. Coriaria myrtifolia is used by dyers for staining black. Its 

 fruit is poisonous. It is said that several soldiers of the French army in Ca- 

 talonia were affected by eating it ; 15 became stupified, and 3 died. Dec. 



Example. Coriaria. 



CXVIII. OCHNACEiE. 



Ochsace-k, Dec. Ann. Mas. 17. 398. (1811); Prodr. 1. 735. (1824.) 



Diagnosis. Polypetalous dicotyledons, with hypogynous stamens, and a 

 deeply lobed ovarium, the style arising from the base of the concrete carpella, 

 which are seated upon a succulent disk ; anthers opening by pores. 



Anomalies. Stamens definite or indefinite. 



Essential Character.— Sepals 5, persistent, imbricated in aestivation. Petals hypogy- 

 nous, definite, sometimes twice as many as the sepals, deciduous, spreading, imbricated in 

 aestivation. Stamens 5, opposite the sepals, or 10, or indefinite in number, arising from a 

 hypogynous disk ; filaments persistent ; anthers 2-celled, innate, opening by pores. Carpella 

 equal in number to the petals, lying upon an enlarged, tumid, fleshy disk (the 'gynobase) ; 

 their styles combined in one ; ovula erect. Fruit composed of as many pieces as there were 

 carpella, indehiscent, somewhat drupaceous, 1-seeded, articulated with the gynobase, which 

 grows with their growth. Seeds without albumen; embryo straight; radicle short; cotyle- 

 dons thick.— Very smooth Trees or shrubs, having a watery juice. Leaves alternate, simple, 

 entire, or toothed, with 2 stipuke at the base. Flowers usually in racemes, with an articula- 

 tion in the middle of the pedicels. 



Affinities. Very near Rutaceoe, from which they are distinguished by 

 their erect ovula, the dehiscence of their anther?, and many more characters. 

 They are to Polypetala; what Labiatae and Boragineae are to Monopetalae. 



Geography. All found in tropical India, Africa, and America. 



Properties. Walkera scrrata has a bitter root and leaves, and is em- 

 ployed in Malabar, in decoction in milk and water, as a tonic, stomachic, and 

 anti-emetic. The bark of Ochna hcxasperma is used in Brazil as a cure of 

 the sores produced in cattle by the punctures of insects. It probably acts as 

 an astringent. PL Usuelles, 38. 



Examples. Ochna, Gomphia. 



