Chrysophyllu)?t.'\ SapotacecS. 75 



sharply pointed, closely surrounded at the base by the en- 

 larged persistent cup-like cal., glabrous, cinnamon-brown, 



Seacoast, chiefly in the dry region; rather rare. Galle (Gardner); 

 Ambalangoda ; Negombo; Kalpitiya; near Mannar; TrincomaHe. Fl. 

 Jan., Feb. ; white, very fragrant. 



All Tropical shores. 



This is considered one of the ' Mangroves,' the seeds germinating 

 before falling, and Linnaeus called \\. Rhizophora corniculataj the anthers 

 are also like those of the Rhizophoreae. In the seed the small cotyledons 

 are concealed by a hood, which is formed by a prolongation of the 

 placenta. 



LXXIX.— SAPOTACE^. 



Trees, rarely shrubs, 1. alt., entire, without stip. ; fl. small, 



regular, bisexual, axillary ; cal.-segm. deep, 4-8, imbricate or 



in two rows with the outer valvate, persistent; cor.-lobes 4-6 



or 12 imbricate or twisted, or i8 or 24 in 2 or 3 series; 



stam. 5, 6, 8, or 12, as many as the cor.-lobes and opp. them 



or twice as many; staminodes when present as many as and 



alt. with stam.; ov, superior, 4-8-celled, ovules solitary in each 



cell, style simple, tapering; fruit a berry; seeds 1-8, large, 



ovoid, somewhat compressed, with a shining testa and a long 



conspicuous hilum, with or without endosperm. 



An Order characteristic of the moist low country, where 1 5 out of our 

 17 species occur. Only 3 are found in the dry region, but 2 of them, 

 Mivmsops hexandra and Sideroxylon tomentosiim^ there only. Isonandra 

 and 2 species of Palaquium extend into the montane zone. All con- 

 tain a milky juice, which, after evaporation of its liquid portion, affords 

 that variety of Caoutchouc known as Gutta-percha. All the species of 

 Palaquium and 4 of Bassia are endemic. 



Cal.-segm. 5, imbricate; stam. 5. 



Staminodes o i. Chrysophyllum. 



Staminodes 5 2. SiDEROXYLON. 



Cal.-segm. 4, 6, or 8, in two series. 

 Cal.-segm. 4 ; staminodes o. 



Stam. 8 3. Isonandra. 



Stam. 12 4. Bassia. 



Cal.-segm. 6 or 8. 



Stam. 12, staminodes o 5. PALAQUIUM. 



Stam. 6 or 8, staminodes 6 or 8 . . .6. Mimusops, 



I. CKRVSOPKVZ.I.U»I, Z. 



Tree, 1. alt., entire, fl. small, in axillary clusters; cal.-segm. 

 5, large, much imbricated; cor.-lobes 5, imbricate; stam. 5, 



