554 BURMA, ITS PEOPLE AXD PRODUCTIOXS. 



Pistil fhio-uut, Pistacliio vera, is another fruit widely cultivated, but the native 

 country of which is unknown, and the Cachew-nut, Anacardium occidentale. Mastic, 

 a resin much used to sweeten the breath, is produced by several trees of the Order, 

 and others yield astringent barks used in tanning. A fine black varnish is yielded by 

 Melanorrlma and Holigarna longifolia. 



Order SABIACE^. 

 Flowers hermaphrodite or polygamously dioecious. Calyx 4-5-parted, imbricate. 

 Petals 4-5, equal or unequal, alternating with or opposite to the sepals, imbricate. 

 Stamens 4-5, opposite the petals, inserted at the base of the small disk, or on the 

 torus, free or cohering with the petals, usually 2 only perfect, the others reduced 

 to scales, rarely all fertile. Anthers didymous, the cells opening by a transverse 

 slit or deciduous hood. Ocary 2-3-celled, with 1-2 horizontal or suspended ovules 

 in each cell. Styles cohering, or the stigmas sessile. Ripe ea?-pels 1-2, drupaceous 

 or diy, indehiscent, compressed-kidncy-shaped or almost globular, the endocaq) 

 crustaceous or bony, 1-seeded. Albumen none or scanty. Cotyledons much folded. 

 Radiele inferior. Stipules none. Shrubs or trees, rarely climbers, with alternate, 

 simple or pinnate leaves. Floicers usually minute. 



Sabia, Colehroolce. 

 Stamens 4-5, all perfect. Ovary 2-3-lobcd. Drupes usually compressed. 



""' Glabrous. Floirers pnnieled. 



S. LiMONiACEA, Wall. S.S. Cliittagong. 



Flowers about a line across, the pedicels short and thick. Leaves coriaceous. 



S. vniiDissiMA, Kz. Tropical forests of South Andaman. 



Flowers nearly 4 lines in diameter, the pedicels capillary and long. Leaves 

 membranous. 



Maout and Decaisne observe : " Sabia is very remarkable for the opposition 

 of its bracts, sepals, petals, stamens, and ovarian carpels, which is perhaps unique 

 in the vegetable kingdom." The snake-nut (OpJiioearyoii) belongs to this Order, 

 and is so-called from tlie coiled embryo, resembling a snake coiled up in the nut. 



ilELiosMA, Blame. 

 Stamens 5, very unequal. Ovary 2-3-celled. Drupes more or less globose. 

 M. siMPLiciFOLiA, Bl. F.T. Cliittagong, Ava Hills, Tcuasserim. 



Sir J. Hooker says the wood is of excellent quality. 



Order SAPIXDACE^. 



Floirers usually polygamous. Sepals 4-5, free or united, imbricate, or rarely 

 valvate. Petals 4-5, rarely fewer, sometimes minute, or wanting, frequently bearing 

 a basal scale inside. Disk various, sometimes unilateral, rarely wanting. Stamens 8, 

 rarely fewer, or more, inserted round tlie ovary, within the disk or sometimes 

 unilateral. Anthers erect, or versatile. Ovary entu-e, or lobed, 1-4- (usually 3-)celled, 

 with 1-2, rarely more, ascending, or rarely almost horizontal ovules in each cell. 

 Style simple, or more or less divided. Fruit dry, or succulent, dehiscent, or inde- 

 hiscent, entire, or separating into lobes, or cocci. Seeds with or without an arillus. 



The majority of Sapindacevs are readily recognized by having the disk outside, not 

 inside the stamens, and by the 8 stamens in a 5-merous ilower with a 3-merous ovary. 



A. Seeds with albumen. Stipules present. 



STAPUYLIE.^. 



Flowers regular. Stamens inserted outside the disk. Leaves opposite. 



TrRPiNiA, Ventenat. 



Ocary 3-cened. Fruit entire, indehiscent. Leaves pinnate, or rarely simple. 



