Swietenia. MELIACE^. 387 



Order XXXVII. MELIACE^. 



By a. Gray. 



Mainly tropical trees or shrubs, with hard wood ; characterized in general bv 

 dotless alternate and pinnate leaves, no stipules, paniculate inflorescence, and 

 perfect mostly 5-merous small and regular flowers. Sepals mostly imbricated and 

 petals imbricated or convolute in the bud. Stamens monadelphous, often to such 

 a degree that the anthers (never more than double the petals) are enclosed within 

 the mouth of the tube ; anthers 2-celled, introrsely dehiscent. Ovary with mostly 

 as many cells as petals, its base surrounded by an annular or cup-shaped disk ; 

 styles and stigmas combined into one ; ovules anatropous, pendulous. Embryo 

 large. — Sparingly represented by one exotic and one barely indigenous tree. 



1. MELIA. Petals 5 or 6, narrowly spatulate, spreading. Stamen-tube cylindrical, with 10- 

 12-toothed orifice and as many included sessile anthers. Ovary with a pair of superposed 

 ovules in each cell. Drupe 5-6-celled or by abortion 1 -celled, with thin flesh and a single 

 seed in each cell of the bony putamen ; embryo in thin fleshy albumen. 



2. SWIETENIA. Petals 5, oval, spreading. Stamen-tube somewhat urn-shaped, 10-toothed ; 

 anthers as many, in the sinuses. Ovary .5-celled, many-ovuled on axile placentae. Capsule 

 5-celled, septicidally 5-valved from the base upward ; valves thick, sometimes bilamellar ; 

 axis thick, 5-angled ; seeds numerous, downwardly imbricated, above with broad wing much 

 longer than the body ; embryo transverse, couferruminate with the fleshy albumen ; radicle 

 very short. 



1. MELIA, L. (Greek name for the Ash-tree, transferred to this genus by 

 Linnaeus.) — Gen. no. 357. — Asiatic trees, the following species now widely 

 dispersed. 



M. AzEDARACH, L. (Pride OF India, China-tree.) Tree 30 to 40 feet high, fast growing, 

 nearly glabrous : leaves twice pinnate ; leaflets ovate or oblong, acuminate, serrate : flowers 

 in loose panicles from upper axils, lilac, fragrant, produced in spring : drupes globose, half 

 inch in diameter, yellowish. — Spec. i. 384. — Planted as a shade tree and naturalized in 

 S. Atlantic States.^ (Persia to China, whence introd.) 



2. SWIETENIA, Jacq. MahoCxANT. (Br. Gerard van Swieten of 

 Leyden, in the 18th century.) — Enum. PI. Carib. 4, & Stirp. Am. 127 ; L. Gen. 

 ed. 6, 209. — The principal species is 



S. Mahagoni, Jacq. (Mahogant-tree.) A noble tree, -with hard reddish brown wood, 

 very glalirous : leaves abruptly pinnate ; leaflets 6 to 12, petiolulate, oblong-ovate and un- 

 equal-sided, somewhat falcate, acuminate, entire, coriaceous : flowers greenish yellow, in 

 short axillary panicles : capsule oval, 3 inches long. — Enum. PI. Carib. 20, & Stirp. Am. 

 127 ; L. Spec. ed. 2, i. 548 (Catesb. Car. ii. t. 81) ; Cav. Diss. t. 209 ; Hook. Bot. Misc. i. 21, 

 t. 16, 17.2 5, Mahogoni, Nutt. Sylv. ii. 99, t. 75 ; Chapm. Fl. 62. —Keys of S. Florida. <W. 

 Ind., Mex., Centr. Am., &c.) 



1 Also much planted and (ace. to Coulter) "extensive!}' naturalized in Central and Southern 

 Texas." 



2 Add lit. and syn. Sargent, Silv. i. 100, t. 43, 44. Cedrus Mahoyani, Mill. Diet. ed. 8, no. 2. 



