Grossales.] 



PHILADELPHACEiE. 



'53 



Order CCLXXXIX. PHILADELPHACEJE.— Sy 



RINGAS. 



PhUadelphese, Don in Jameson's Journal, 133. (April, 1826) ; DC. Prodr. 3. 205. (1828) ; 

 Endl. Gfc'H. cclxiv. 



DixGSOiis.— Grossed Exor/ens, ivith capsular fruit, axile placeiita;, disunited styles, 00 

 stamens, and valvate calyx. 



Shrubs. Leaves deciduous, opposite, toothed, without dots or stipules. Peduncles 

 axillai-y or termhial, in trichotomous cymes. Flowers white or pink. Fruit sometimes 

 a httle scm'fy. Calyx adherent, with 

 a persistent limb, having from 4 to 10 

 valvate divisions. Petals alternate 

 with the segments of the calyx, and 

 equal to them in number, with a con- 

 volute-imbricate ?estivation. Stamens 

 00, arising in one or two rows from 

 the orifice of the calyx. Styles either 

 distinct or consoUdated into one ; stig- 

 mas several ; o\ailes 00, attached to 

 an axile placenta. Capsule half infe- 

 rior, with from 4 to 10 cells, many- 

 seeded. Seeds scobiform, subulate, 

 smooth, heaped in the angles of the 

 cells upon an angular placenta, with a 

 loose membranous skin. Albumen 

 fleshy ; embryo about as long as the 

 albumen ; cotyledons oval, obtuse, 

 flattish ; radicle longer than the coty- 

 ledons, straight, obtuse, superior or 

 inferior, next the hilum. 



No doubt can exist that these plants 

 have a near relation to Myrtleblooms, 

 although they may not have such a 

 resemblance as will justify their being 

 stationed in the very same Alliance; 

 for they correspond in theu' inferior fruit, opposite leaves, polypetalous flowers, and 

 indefinite stamens. Some Botanists, however, because of theu* seeds being lodged in 

 albumen, would rather refer them to Saxifrages, with which, no doubt, there is some 

 collateral relationship. They are, however, e\ddently a portion of the Grossal Alliance, 

 standing nearly allied to Escalloniads. Among that Alliance they are readily known by 

 theu' valvate calyx, indefinite stamens, and disunited styles. Moreover, their minute 

 seeds cut them off" from Barrmgtoniads, and theu* axile placentae, with a capsular fruit, 

 from Currantworts. 



The species are found sparingly in the south of Europe, North America, Japan, and 

 India. 



Little can be said of theh' uses. The rough leaves of Deutzia scabra are used in Japan 

 by pohshers, and its inner bark for poultices. Philadelphus coronarius, whose flowers 

 have a sweet but very pecuUar smell, and whose leaves taste like Cucumber, was once 

 considered a tonic, and the oil of its flowers was used for adulterating oil of Jasmine. 



GENERA. 



Philadelphus, lAnn. 



Syringa, Toumef. 

 Decumaria, Linn, 



Forsythia, Walt. 

 Deutzia, Thunh. 



Numbers. Gen. 3. Sp. 25. 



MyrtacecB. 

 Position. — Grossulacese. — Philadelphace-i:. — Escalloniaceoe. 



SaxifrafjacccB. 



Fig. DII.— Deutzia crenata.— >S'/c&o/rf. 

 of the same, showing the placentation ; 4 



1. a flower with tlie petals removed ; 2. a fruit ; 3. a portion 

 section of a seed very highly magnified. 



3c 



