754 



BARRINGTONIACEiE. 



[Epigynous Exogens. 



Order CCXC. BARRINGTONIACEiE.— Barringtoniads. 



Myrtacese, § Barringtonieae, DC. Prodr. 3. 288. (1828) ; Bartl. Ord. Nat. 322. (1830).— Barringtoniese, 

 DC. Diet. Class, v. XI. not. (1826) ; Martius Conspectus, No. 319 (1835) ; Wight Illustr. 2. 19. 



Diagnosis.— (rrossaZ Exogens, ^vith pulpy or fibrous fruit, axile placentcs, 1 style, 00 

 stamens, and an imbricated calyx. 



Trees or shrubs, with alternate, often serrated leaves, destitute of transparent dots. 



Sepals 4- 5, superior, 

 tals the same number, 

 bricated, distinct. Stamens 

 GO, distinct, monadelphous 

 or polyadelphous ; anthers 

 oblong. Ovary inferior, 

 sm'mounted by an epigy- 

 nous disk, 2- 4- 5-celled, 

 v\ith axile placentse; ovules 

 00 ; style simple ; stigma 



somewhat capitate. Fruit fleshy, surmounted by the per- 

 manent calyx, with bony seeds lodged in pulp ; embryo in 

 the axis of copious fleshy albumen. 



Almost all writers regard these plants as kindred to the 

 Myrtleblooms ; and yet they are assuredly quite distinct, 

 differing in the presence of a large quantity of albumen, 

 and in having alternate leaves, without transparent dots, 

 but often serrated. They appear in fact to be much 

 nearer Syringas than Myi'tleblooms, and to stand in the 

 same relation to the former as Myrtles to Onagrads. By 

 their pulpy fruit they may be looked upon as a connecting 

 link between the Grossal and Cinchonal AlUances, among 

 the latter of which they are imitated by the Cranberries. 

 Roxburgh has remarked that the seeds are very like those 

 of Guttifers. 



All that are known inhabit the tropics of the old and 

 new world, some of them occurring in low moist ground. •^'^' 



The root of Stravadium racemosum has a slightly bitter but not unpleasant taste. It 

 is considered by the Hindoo Doctors valuable on account of its aperient, deobstnient, 



Fig. Dili.— Careya arborea. 1. one of the bundles of stamens ; 2. a perpendicular section of the 

 ovary ; 3. section of the seei,— Wight. 



