HAMAMELIDACEZ.—BRUNIACEA. b51 
on them are unable to escape, and become ultimately dissolved 
and absorbed for their nourishment. The acid present in this 
fluid is said to be citric. 
Order 14. HAMAMELIDACE, the Witch-hazel Order.—Cha- 
racter.—Small trees or shrubs, with alternate simple leaves and 
deciduous stipules. lowers in globular heads or spicate, perfect 
or unisexual, polygamous or moncecious. Calyx superior, 4- or 
5-lobed. Petals 4 or 5, with an involute, valvate, or circinate 
zestivation, or altogether wanting. Stamens 8, half of which are 
scale-like, sterile, and placed opposite to the petals, and half 
fertile and alternate with them ; or numerous. Ovary inferior, 
2-celled ; ovules solitary or numerous ; styles 2. Frwit capsular, 
2-celled, with 1 seed in each cell ; seed albuminous. 
Distribution and Numbers.—Natives of North America, Asia, 
and Africa. Illustrative Genera :—Hamamelis, Linn.; Liquid- 
ambar, Linn. There are about 25 species. 
Properties and Uses.—Chiefly remarkable for their fragrant 
balsamic properties. Some have acrid bitter barks; and the 
leaves and bark of others are astringent. 
Hamamelis virginica, Witch Hazel, vields oily edible seeds. Its bark 
possesses powerful astringent properties, and has been much used in the 
United States and in this country for checking excessive mucous discharges 
and hemorrhages. 
Liquidambar (_Altingia).—This genus was formerly placed in an order, 
of which it was the only representative, termed Liquidambaracee or 
Altingiacer.—L. orientalis is the source of the balsam named Liquid 
Storazx, which, when purified, forms the official Prepared Storax ofthe British 
Pharmacopeia. (See Styrar.) This plantis a native of Asia Minor. The 
storax is obtained from the inner bark, which is afterwards used by the 
Turks for the purpose of fumigation. This bark is the Corter Thymiamatis 
or Storax Bark of pharmacologists.—L. styraciflua, a native of the United 
States and Central America, vields by incision, or from natural fissures, a 
balsamic resin called Sweet Gum, Liquidambar, or Copalm Balsam.—L. 
Altingiana, a native of the Indian Archipelago and Assam, yields a similar 
fragrant balsam. In their effects and uses, both Liquid Storax and Liquid- 
ambar resemble other balsamic substances, as the Balsams of Peru and 
Tolu, Benzoin, &c.—L. formosana of Hance also yields a resin, which is 
fragrant when heated. 
Order 15. BruntacEx, the Brunia Order.—C haracter.— 
Heath-like shrubs, with small imbricate, rigid, entire, exstipulate 
leaves. Calyx usually superior, or sometimes nearly inferior, 
imbricate. Petalsand stamens 5, inserted on the calyx, the petals 
alternate with the divisions of the calyx and valvate ; anthers 
2-celled, extrorse, bursting longitudinally. Ovary superior or 
half-inferior, 1—3-celled, with 1 or 2 suspended anatropous 
ovules in each cell; style simple or bifid. Frwit crowned 
by the remains of the calyx and a disk, 1—2-celled, in the tirst 
case indehiscent, in the latter dehiscent. Seeds with a minute 
embryo, in fleshy albumen. 
Distribution and Numbers.—Natives of the Cape of Good 
