Urticales.] 



STILAGINACEiE. 



259 



Order LXXXIII. STILAGINACEiE.— Antidesmads. 



Stilagineffi, Agardh's Classes, 199. (1824); Von Martins Hort. Req. Monac (1829).— Antidesmeae, 

 Sweet Hort. Brit. ed. 2, 460. (1830) ; Endl. xcvi. ; Meisiier, p. 347. 



Diagnosis. — Urtical Exogens, with 2-lohed anthers splitting vertically, twin suspended 

 ovules, a straight albuminous embi'yo, and superior radicle. 



Trees or shrubs. Leaves alternate, simple, coriaceous, undivided or toothed. Sti- 

 pules t^vin, deciduous. Flowers minute, in axillary scaly spikes. Flowers S ? • 

 Calyx 2- 3- or 5-parted. Corolla 0. ^ Stamens 2, or 

 more, arising from a tumid receptacle ; filaments capil- 

 lary ; anthers innate, usually 2-lobed, with a fleshy con- 

 nective and vertical cells opening transversely. $ Ovary 

 free, 1- 2-celled, often \vith a conspicuous disk ; ovules 

 anatropal, suspended in pairs ; stigma sessile, 3-4- 

 toothed. Fruit drupaceous. Seed suspended, sometimes 

 perforated by processes of the putamen ; embryo green, 

 with foliaceous cotyledons, Ijong in the midst of copious 

 fleshy albumen ; radicle short, superior. 



An obscure Order, whose limits are not ascertained. 

 Judging from the genera Stilago and Antidesma, it is very 

 near Nettleworts, from which it is chiefly distinguished by 

 a great cushion-shaped disk, unelastic filaments, and 

 anthers spht into 2 lobes, which burst transversely at the 

 apex. But Falconeria is said to have a 2-celled fruit, 

 and therefore would approach very nearly to the Euphor- 

 bial AUiance. On the other hand, Pyrenacantha, referred 

 hither by Endhcher, because of its two collateral pendu- 

 lous ovules, is a milking plant, and wants the peculiar 

 anthers of Antidesmads ; but its pierced albumen and 

 embryo are so similar to those of Phytocrene (or Gyno- 

 cephalium), that it had better perhaps be refen'ed to the Artocarpads. 

 Antidesmas have much the inflorescence of East Indian Mastworts. 



Natives of the East Indies and Madagascar. 



These plants appear to be destitute of noxious quaUties. Their succulent currant-like 

 drupes are eaten by the natives of the countries where they grow ; those of Antidesma 

 pubescens are mentioned by Roxbm'gh, who also states that the shining deep red fruit of 

 Stilago Bunius is sub-acid and palatable. The leaves of that plant are acid and diapho- 

 retic ; and, when young, are boiled with potherbs and given in India in cases of 

 syphilis. The leaves of Antidesma alexiteria are among the imaginary remedies for 

 serpent bites. 



GENERA. 

 Antidesma, L. 

 Stilago, L. 

 Falconeria, Royle. 



Numbers. Gen. 3. Sp. 20 ? 



Position. — Urtieacese. — Stilaginace^. — Artocarpaceae. 



CorylacecB. 



Fig. CLXXIV. 



The male 



Fig. CLXXIV.— Stilago lanceolata. 1. $ flower ; 2. half ripe fruit ; 3. a transverse section of the fruit 

 and seed ; 4. a perpendicular section of a seed. 



