464 



MELTACEiE. 



[Hypogynous Exogens. 



winged seeds and the stamens being in a less degree monadelphous. As to a sup- 

 posed affinity between Vineworts and this Order, it seems to be of a very distant 

 description. 



The species are found all over the world ; in about equal quantities in America and 

 Asia, and four times fewer in Africa ; but these proportions are possibly due to the 

 difference in the degi-ee that those parts of the world have been examined. The Order 

 does not extend further to the north than 40° ; Meha Azedarach is naturahsed as it 

 were in Provence ; and an Hartighsea exists in New Zealand. The extra-tropical 

 species are, however, rare. 



Bitter, astringent, and tonic quaUties belong to the species of this Order, and are 

 often developed in so considerable a degree as to render theii' application dangerous 

 without precaution, A Brazilian plant called Jito is a powerful pm-gative, but Piso m 

 mentioning it, warns us against the danger of employing it, and says that it is more 

 often a poison than a mediciue ; it is supposed to be a species of Guarea, perhaps 

 either G. purgaus or spiciflora, which Martins informs us act violently on the uterus, 

 and in an overdose produce abortion. Trichilia cathartica is reputed to have similar 

 properties. The jmce of the bark of Guarea Aubletii is a pm-gative and a violent 

 emetic ; the bark of Guarea tricliihoides has similar qualities. The same power is 

 assigned to the Arabian Elcaija (Trichiha emetica), Jacquin says that the negresses 

 employ the root of T. trifoholata to procm^e abortion. The root of Melia Azedarach is 

 bitter and nauseous, and is used in North America as anthelmintic ; the pulp that sur- 

 roimds the seeds is said to be deleterious; but this is denied by Tm'pin, who asserts that 

 dogs which he has seen eat it experienced no inconvenience ; and cluldren in Carolina 

 swallow the seeds with impunity. It is supposed that the Meha Azedarachta, or 

 Neem-tree of India, possesses febrifugal properties ; a kind of Toddy, which the Hindoos 

 consider a stomachic, is obtained from it by tapping ; it is also called the Margosa-tree. 

 From the fniit of the same plant an oil is obtained, which is fit for burning and for 

 other domestic purposes, and, as Ach. Richard observes, is another instance, after 

 the Ohve, of the pericarp yielding that substance which is usually obtained from the 

 seed. This oil is said to possess antispasmodic qualities, Blume atti*ibutes to the root 

 of Sandoricum indicmn properties similar to those of Melia ; but the latter has a 

 repulsive odour, while the other is aromatic ; it is employed agamst leucorrhoea, com- 

 bined with the bark of the root of Carapa obovata, which is bitter and astringent. 

 The bark of Carapa guianensis has gi'eat reputation as a febrifuge ; its oil is bitter and 

 anthelmintic, and is said to be particularly useful in guardmg u'on against rust. Carapa 

 Touloucouna or guineensis j-ields the Talhcoonah or Kundah oil, an anthelmintic and 

 purgative ; it is acrid and bitter, and said to be well suited for lamps. Trichilia Catigoa 

 (Caa-tigua, Braz.) stains leather a bright yellow. Rumphius mentions the extreme 

 bitterness of Xylocarpus Granatum. An aUiaceous odour found in two species of 

 Cedrela also occurs m a very prominent degree in some species of Dysoxylon and 

 Hartighsea ; the Javanese mountaineers use the fiiiit of these trees as Garhc. Blume 

 suspects that some species of Epicharis have similar properties. A warm pleasant- 

 smeUing oil is prepared from the fruit of Trichiha speciosa, which the Indian doctors 

 consider a valuable external remedy in chronic rheumatism and paralytic affections. 

 Some dehcious fruits of the Indian Archipelago, called Langsat, or Lanse'h, and Ayer 

 Ayer, are species of the genus Lansium ; they have a watery pulp, with a cooling 

 pleasant taste. MUnea eduhs is another plant of the Order, with eatable finut. See 

 further RoyWs Ilhcstrationa, p, 141. 



GENERA. 



I. MELiEiE, — Embryo 

 with albumen. 



Quhlsia, Commers. 



GUibcrtia, Gmel. 

 Calodryum, Desv. 

 Naregamia, Wight et Ar. 

 Munronia, Wight. 

 Turrsea, Linn. 

 Melia, Linn. 



Azederach, Tournef. 

 Azadirachta, Adr. Juss. 

 Mallea, Adr. Juss. 

 Cipadessa, Blum. 



II, TRICHIL1K.E. — Em- 

 bryo exalbuminous. 



Aglaia, Lour. 



Camunium, Rumph. 



Ca7)ibania, Commers. 

 Milnea, Roxb. 



Nyalelia, Dennst- 

 Lansium, Rumph. 



Sphcerosacme, Wall. 

 Nemedra, Juss, 

 Amoora, Roxb, 



Amur a, Schult, 



Andersonia, Roxb. 



Aphanamixis, Blum. 



Dysoxylon, Blum, 

 Schizochiton, Spreng. 



Chisocheton, Blum. 

 Synoum, Adr. Juss. 



Schoutensia, Endl. 

 Hartighsea, Adr, Juss. 



Macrochiton, Blum. 

 Epicharis, Blum. 

 Cabralea, Adr. Jms. 

 DidjTnochiton, Blum. 

 Goniochiton, Blum. 

 Sandoricum, Cav. 

 Ekebergia, Sparm. 

 Walsura, Roxb. 



Heynea, Roxb. 

 Trichilia, Linn. 



Elcaja, Forsk, 



Portesia, Cav. 



Torpesia, Endl. 

 Moschoxylum, Adr.Juss. 

 Guarea, Linn. 



? Elutheria, P. Br. 

 Carapa, Aubl. 



Xylocarpus, Schreb. 



Persoonia, Willd. 

 Xylocarpus, Adr. Juss. 

 ? Odontandra, H. B. K. 

 ? Aitonia, Linn. f. 



Numbers. Gen. 33. Sp. 150. 



Position. — Aurantiaceae. — Meliace^. — Cedrelaceae. 



Pittosporacece. 



