Rhamnales.] 



STYRACACE^. 



593 



he finds a resemblance to Citronworts and Olacads. — Linn. Trans. 18. 231. Accord- 

 ing to Alph. De Candolle, who adopts those views, ( Prodr. 8. 245), they differ from 

 Ebeuads in their hennaphrodite c^Tnose, not racemose flowers, in their fewer sta- 

 mens, partly alternate with the lobes of the corolla, their longer filaments, their ovary 

 partially inferior, and especially in the cells of the ovary being opposite the lobes of the 

 calyx. Decaisne {Travels of Jacquemont, p. 104), thinks them nearer Alangiads. They 

 nmst also be regai'ded as standing in close i*elation to Olacads, from which they hardly 

 differ perhaps, except in their embryo being longer as respects the seed, and in their 

 long ra'iicle. 



Storaxworts are sparingly distributed, for the most part through the tropical or sub- 

 tropical regions of both hemispheres ; a very few, among which are the Snowdrop-trees, 

 (Halesia), find theu* way to cold latitudes. According to Alph. De Candolle, they are 

 unknown in Australia, and exist in Africa in no instance except that of Styrax guine- 

 ense, a doubtful plant. 



Some of the genus Symplocos are used in dyeing yellow, as S. tinctoria, called Sweet- 

 leaf in Carolina ; its root is bitter and aromatic ; others, as S. Alstonia, are employed 

 as tea, on account of a slight astringency in their leaves. Storax and Benzoin, fragi*ant 

 gum-resins, composed of resin, benzoic acid, and a peculiar aromatic principle, are the 

 produce of two species of Styrax. Storax flows from wounds in Styrax officinale, a 

 Syrian ti'ee. Benzoin is derived from S. Benzoin, a native of the Malay archipelago. 

 Both drugs are regarded as stimulating expectorants, producing an irritation of the 

 mucous membrane of the air-passages. Benzoin is used m the preparation of Paregoric 

 elixir, and of Court plaistei', and also in the cosmetic called Vu'gin's Milk. A fragrant 

 secretion of a similar nature is produced by Stp'ax reticulata, ferruginea and aurea, in 

 Brazil ; according to Martins, it is employed m the churches as fi-ankincense. Sym- 

 plocos (Bobua) laurina is celebrated in Bengal for its bark, which fox'ms a mordant for 

 red dyes. 



GENERA. 



I, Symploce.«. — Corolla I 

 quincuncial. Anthers 

 roundish. 



Symplocos, Jacq. 

 Ettgenioides, L. 

 Bobua, DC. 

 Alstonia, L. 

 Hopea, L. 



Ciponima, Aubl. 

 Siponima, Aubl. 

 Decadia, Lour. 

 Barherina, Velloz. 

 Stemmatosiphon, Pohl. 

 ? Dicalyx, Lour. 

 ? Drupatris, Lour. 

 Palura, Ham. 



II. Styuaceje. — Corolla 

 twisted to the left, or 

 somewhat valvate. An- 

 thers long. 



Styrax, Tourn. 

 Strigilia, Cav. 

 Tremanthus, Pers. 

 Benzoin, Hayne. 

 Lithocarpus, Bl. 



Numbers. Gen. 6. Sp. 115. 



Ebenacea. 

 Position. — Sapotacese. — Styracace^.- 

 Olacacece. 



Epigenia, Veil. 



CypeUium, Desv. 



Trichogamila, P. Br. 

 Pterostyrax, Sieb. el Zuc. 

 Halesia, Ellis. 



III. Pamphilie^. a. 



Z>C.— Corolla valvate. 

 Paraphilia, Mart. 

 Foveolaria, R. P. 



QQ 



