622 



MANUAL OF POISONOUS PLANTS 



Fig. 350. Jute Plant (Corchorus cafsularis). A valuable fiber 

 plant from the East Indies. (From American Agriculturist.) 



oil is manufactured from StercnUa foelida. The Abroma augusta yields a fine 

 fiber. 



To the family FJaeocarpaceae of the .«ame order belongs the Bchinocarpiis 

 Sigun, a poisonous plant which contains hydrocj'anic acid. Several members 

 of this family are economic plants. The maqui fruit is obtained from Aristo- 

 telia Macqui, native to Chili. The seeds of Sloanca dcntatn are eaten like 

 chestnuts. The seeds of Muntingia are edible. 



Malvaceak. IMallovv Family 



Herbs, shrubs, or, in tropical countries, trees, with mucilajjinous proi>ertics. 

 tough fibrous bark and stems; leaves alternate and small; stipules small, decid 

 uous; flowers regular and generally perfect; sepals 5, usually more or les^ 

 united; petals 5, hypogynous; stamens numerous, monadelphous, several-celled: 

 pistils several; styles united, projecting beyond tlie stamens above; ovary sev- 

 eral celled; seeds nearly exalbuminons ; embryo curved. A family of about 801) 

 species of wide distribution and of great economic importance. The cotton 

 plant is the most important member of the family and comprises several species, 

 the most important in the United States being G(>ssyf>iuiu hcrhaceutn, which 



