596 



EBENACEiE. 



[Perigynous Exogens. 



Europe, and the state of New York in North America. A few occur at the Cape of 

 Good Hope and in New Holland. 



They are remarkable for httle except the hardness of the wood of such species as 

 DiospjTus Ebenus, Ebenaster, melanoxylon, Mabolo, tomentosa and Roylei, and for the 

 eatable quahty of the fruit. The timber, of a black colour, sometimes variegated with 

 white or brown lines, is well known under the names of Ebony and Ironwood. The fruit 

 is noted for extreme acerbity before arriving at matm'ity. That of Diospyrus Kaki is occa- 

 sionally mtroduced from China as a dry sw-eetmeat ; another species is believed to furnish 

 a fruit called the Kau Apple by the settlers in the South of Africa. Some practitioners m 

 the United States prescribe an infusion of the unripe fruit of Diospyrus vu'giniana, also 

 called the Date Plvun, whose bark had ah-eady been employed as a febrifuge with suc- 

 cess in cases of cholera nifantmn, and the worst forms of Mississippi diari"hoea. The par- 

 ticulars as to the maimer of applying it are to be found in Hay's AmeHcan Journal of 

 Medical Science, October, 1842. — See Gard. Chron.p. 844. 1843. This tree produces 

 a kind of gum, and the fruit when changed by frost is eaten. The frvdt of Diospyrus . 

 glutinosa, or Embryopteris, is so glutinous as to be used m Bengal for paying boats. 



Royena, L. 

 Euclea, L. 



Diplonema, Don. 



Rymia, Endl. 

 Gunisanthus, A. DC. 



GENERA. 



Rospidios, A. DC. 

 Macreightia, A. DC. 

 Diospyros, X. 



Cruaiacara, Tourn. 



Hebetiaster, Rumph. 



Paralea, Aubl. 

 Embryopteris, Gaertn. 

 Cavanilla, Lam. 

 Maba, Forst. 

 Ferreola, Ro.xb. 



Numbers. Gen. 9. Sp. 160. 



Cargilia, R. Br. 

 Erycibe, Roxb. 



Catonia, Vahl. 



Erimatalia, R. et Sch. 



POSITION.- 



OleacecB. 

 Ebenace^. — Aquifoliacese. 

 Sapotac€ce> 



