PLATANACEA.—MYRICACEZA. 669 
America for boats, shoe-soles, and other purposes. The bark of B Bhaja- 
paltra is employed in India as a kind of paper. The bark of B. lenta, 
known in the United States as Sweet Birch or Cherry Birch, yields by 
distillation a volatile oil, which is said to be 
identical with that obtained from the leaves Fia. 1040, 
of Gaultheria procumbens. (See Gaultheria, 
page 605.) 
Order 2. PLATANACEH, the Plane 
Order.— Character.— Trees with a’ 
watery juice. Leaves alternate, pal- 
mately-lobed, with deciduous sheath- 
ing stipules (fig. 1040). Flowers uni- 
sexual, moncecious, in globular (jig. 
1040) amentaceous heads ; achlamyde- 
ous. Male flowers with 1 stamen and 
a 2-celled linear anther. Female flowers 
( fig. 1040) consisting of a 1-celled ovary 
and a thick style; ovules 1—2, pendu- 
lous. fruits arranged in a compact 
rounded head, consisting of clavate 
achzenia with persistent styles. Seeds 
1 or rarely 2, pendulous; embryo 
straight, in very thin albumen, with 
an inferior radicle. 
Distribution and Nwmbers.—They 
are natives principally of North Ame- 
ricaand the Levant. Platanus, Linn., 
is the only genus, of which there are 
5 or 6 species. 
Properties and Uses.—Of no par- 
ticular importance, except that, froin 
their being large handsome trees, and 
flourishing well in large towns, they 
are commonly planted in our parks and _ 7,,, 1940, Branch of the Plane 
squares. The leaves closely resemble = Tree (Platanus orientalis), 
in appearance those of the Sycamore With amentaceous heads 
2 : F of achlamydeous female 
tree. The timber is sometimes used flowers. 
by the cabinet-maker. 
Order 3. Myricace®, the Bog-myrtle Order.—Character. 
Shrubs or small trees, with alternate, simple, resinous-dotted 
leaves, whichare usually exstipulate. Flowers unisexual, amenta- 
ceous, moncecious or dicecious, both kinds of flowers in the 
same or in different catkins. Male flowers achlamydeous ; 
stamens definite. Female flowers achlamydeous, with a 1-celled 
sessile ovary, 2 styles, and 1 erect orthotropous ovule; fruit dru- 
paceous; seed solitary, erect, without hairs; embryo without 
albumen ; radicle superior. 
Distribution and Numbers.—Natives of the temperate parts 
of Europe and North America, and of the tropical regions of 
