150 ILLUSTRATIONS OF INDIAN BOTANY. 



placed 



The character of the Rhamnal Alliance, as regards the seed 



and albumen, is "definite seeds and an amygdaloid embryo, with little or no albumen," which, 

 compared with the ordinal characters of both Sapotacecs and Styracacece^ exhibits considerable 

 discrepancy, more indeed than between them and Gentianales, the Alliance at the head of which 

 he places Ebenacece, and characterizes as having "the cotyledons much smaller than the radicle, 

 lying in a large quantity of albumen." In both ^tyracacece and Sapotacece, with a few excep- 

 tions, there is a notable quantity of albumen, the embyro, except in Bassia and perhaps one or 

 two others, not being amygdaloidal, but axile in the midst of copious fleshy albumen. 



It is with diffidence I venture to differ from such high authorities, but still I cannot help 

 thinking that the views of all are erroneous ; misled, perhaps, by Jussieu's location of Symplocos 

 m the first instance. I view the affinities of this order as remote, not merely from Ebenacece, 

 but from the whole sub-class in which it is now stationed. In short, I consider that its true 

 affinities must be sought for among Calycifloroe not Corollifloroe, and in the neighbourhood of Cap- 

 nfoliaceoe. According to my ideas, Styracaceae fluctuate between Myrtacece^ JBarringtoniacece, 

 CaprifoUaceoe, and Philadelphacece, but most nearly approaches Caprifoliacece by their adherent 

 ovary, monopetalous corolla, few, pendulous ovules, and long, slender embryo, surrounded by 

 much fleshy albumen. In offering this opinion I do not overlook the fact of Bentham's consider- 

 ing the ovary as properly speaking free, being, according to his view, generally more or less so 

 at the time of flowermg, though afterwards adherent. He savs, "In Symplocos, and in all the 

 genera associated with it, the tube of the calyx is generally mo're or less free from the ovary at 

 the time of flowering, but with the developement of the fruit it adheres to it more and more, 

 till at maturity, the tube of the calyx becomes entirely confounded with the fleshy pericarp, 

 and the segments alone remain free, covering the fruit at the top." My acquaintance with the 

 order is confined to the Indian species. Mr. Bentham, when he wrote the above sentence, had 

 been engaged principally with the examination of American ones, and there may be a dif- 



as 



jnce, but so far as Indian species are concerned, I have no hesitation in saying, the ovary is 

 distinctly adherent in the flower-bud, as it is in the fruit or in anv of the above named 



^n at Slf/? conclusions which are derived from the examination of other and, it would 

 appear, totally distmct genera, though considered the same. 



united Det"ak7«?orolk°r^'''?f \^°5 *^' ''''^^'^^ characters of that order are : adherent ovary ; 

 n the cent e of a ApX ?l! ^^""^'^ ' A'^'i '"^^."'^ ^^^^ *^« 1«^«« °f the calyx ; embryo straight, 

 belonVto S«rLan.!^^T^"^ ""t ^^' '^^''^' ^^""^^S to the hilum: all of which equllly 

 but tL coSenco tf J are others appertaining to'both orders keeping them distinct, 



and hLSclv distinct ? ^^' ul^' ^^^''' importance, show how neaHy they are related 

 constr^tir the nrefern/ ^^ orders among which the latter are now grouped. When 



>rd Sh^adnotarrred^ ^ ^f-'^'^y ^"^^^^^"^ '^^^^^'^ the affinities of this 



not arrived at my present conclusions until after it had been sent to the press. 



sub-t?o^c'al'r'egrons ^/Tmerira;,^ 7' '^''7 '^ '^"^ «^^^^ ^^ <'-^fi"^d to the tropical and 

 New Holland!^ In America therarem!i°°^^ '°^ '' '''''^'^ ^^^ Africa and none from 

 to the Indian peninsula are alnine^ or ^nK f ■ ""'f ?"T'""' *^^^^ i" Asia. Those belonging 

 any on the pLns. whUr :n'te L Ne Ertt'd pV '' "^^"^^ ever hanng met with 

 tive y numerous, nine or ten species Lin. ;Sl''l!"^.Zl"_^>^ mountains, they are compara- 



- . A few extend as far north 



elevations of which they are found. One is com- 



!S::;^rX J^?!^ J^-^ - -t important. 



from species of this fami y, and both foL ' '"^P?'^^^^- benzoin and Storax are both derived 

 extent used in medicine ^especial! v in ? «OD«/derable articles of commerce and are to some 

 they are believed trprimoL Zn-I ° ^^^'^^ ^^^^ expectorants, the operation of which 



court-plaster. The lefverof some ar Jp^' •' f- ^^'' ''^VObHIou of Paragoric elixir and 

 mordant f.»r r..l a„.^ 7.^ , f"",^^ ^^^ ^sed in dymff. and tbp Port ^f v ol.v„/. forms a 



common enough in siiW .: ^''''P^'^ '^ '^ ^'^P^ftec 



«gft m snb-alpme regions among ourselves. 



Madras 



