528 



FLACOURTIACE^. 



[Hypogynous Exogens. 



seems to be only a remote analogy vnth that Order. The frequent tendency to a poly- 

 gamous sti'ucture shows their affinity to Lacistemads. 



Almost all these plants are natives of the hottest parts of the East or West Indies, 

 and Africa. Two or three species are foimd at the Cape of Good Hope, and one or 

 perhaps two in New Zealand. 



The pulp of Oncoba is sweet, and eaten in Nubia. The fruits of some of the Flacour- 

 tias ai*e eatable and wholesome. Those of F. Ramontchi, a Madagascar species, are 

 much hke black plums ; of F. sapida and sepiaria have a pleasant refreshing subacid 

 taste ; and the berries of a species of Roumea, found in the jungles of Ceylon, are much 

 prized at Colombo. The young shoots and leaves of Flacom-tia cataphracta, which 

 have the taste, but not the bitterness, of Rhubai'b, are considered astringent and sto- 

 machic, and ai'e prescribed, in the Circars, in cases of diarrhoea and general debiUty ; 

 in Bahar, a cold infusion is used in hoarseness. The infusion of F. sepiaria is consi- 

 dered useful in bites of snakes ; the bark rubbed with oil, and made into a Unmient, is 

 employed against gout on the Malabar coast. — Wight. Aphloia theiformis, a shrub 

 inhabiting the Isle of France, has an emetic bark. Laetia apetala secretes in tropical 

 America a balsamic resin, becoming wliite in contact with air, Uke Sandarach. 



The seeds of Bixa Orellana are angular, and covered with an orange-red waxen pulp or 

 pellicle. The latter substance is the Araotto of the shops ; it is sepai'ated from the 

 seeds by washmg. It is chiefly used in the preparation of chocolate ; but was reckoned 

 an antidote to the poison of the manioc or Janipha Manihot. Farmers employ it to 

 stain their cheeses, and dyers for a reddish colour. Martins says that the seeds are 

 cordial, astringent, and febrifugal. 



GENERA. 



I.— Bixese. Style simple. 

 Fruit splitting. 



Bixa, Linn. 

 Echinocarpus, Blum. 

 Trichospermum, Blum. 

 Lindackeria, Blum. 

 Xylotheca, Hochst. 

 Deahamia, Meisn. 

 Leucocarpon, A.Rich. 



II.— Prockeae, Style sim- 

 ple. Fruit not split- 

 ting. 



Carpotroche, Endl. 



Mayna, Radd. 

 Oncoba, Forsk. 



Lundia, Thonn. 

 Phoberos, Lour. 



Rhinanthera, Blum. 



Limonia, Gartn. 



Scolopia, Schreb. 



Eriudaphus, Nees. 



Dasyanthera, Presl. 

 Ludia, Lam. 

 Laetia, Liiffl, 



Thamnia, P. Br. 



Hellivingia, Adans. 

 Prockia, P. Br. 

 Thiodia, Benn. 



Lightfuotia, Swartz. 

 Aphloia, Benn. 



Neumannia, A. Rich. 

 Xylotheca, Hochst. 

 Ascra, Schott. 

 TriUx, L. 

 Zuelania, A R. 

 Banara, Auhl. 



Bosca, Fl. Flum. 



? Xylademis, Desv. 

 Azara, Ruiz et Pav. 



Knhlia, U.B.K. 



Lilenia, Bert. 



Almeja, Endl. 

 Pineda, Ruiz et Pav. 



Christannia, Presl. 

 ? Leonia, Ruiz et Pav. 



Steudelia, Mart. 



III.— Flacourteae. Styles 

 or stigmas several, 

 Fruit succulent. 



Flacoiuiia, Commers. 

 Stigmarota, Lour. 

 Rhamnopsis, Rekhenh. 



Cr(ppaloprumnon,Endl. 

 Roumea, Poit. 



Koelera, Wmd. 



Bessera, Spreng. 



Limacia, Dietr. 

 Hisingera, Hellen. 

 Xylosma, G. Forst. 



3Iyroxylon,.J .R.Forst. 

 Lunania, Hook. 

 Melicytus, Forst. 



IV. — Erythrospermese. 

 Styles several. Frtiit 

 splitting. 



Kiggellaria, Linn. 

 Erythrospermum, Lam. 

 ? Tachibota, Aubl. 

 Salmasia, Schreb. 



Numbers. Gen. 31 . Sp. 85. 



PajigiacecB. 

 Position. — Samydacese. — Flacourtiace^. — Lacistemaceee. 

 Tiliacece ? ? 



