746 CYCADACEA, 
has been lately recommended in cases of urethral inflammation, 
and in renal diseases ; it is said to be derived from Ephedra 
trifurcu. : 
Order 4. CycapacE®, the Cycas Order.—Character.— 
Small Palm-hke unbranched trees or shrubs, or occasionally 
dichotomous, with their surface marked by the scars of fallen 
leaves. Leaves clustered at the summit, pinnate, parallel- 
veined, hard and woody ; leaflets sometimes circinate in verna- 
tion. Flowers quite naked, unisexual, dicecious. Male flowers 
in cones, consisting of scales, from the under surface of which 
1-celled anthers arise. Female flowers consisting of naked ovules 
placed on the margins of altered leaves, or of ovules arising 
from the base of flat scales or from the under surface of peltate 
ones. Seeds hard or succulent, with 1 or several embryos con- 
tained in fleshy or mealy albumen. 
Distribution and Numbers.—Natives principally of the tem- 
perate and tropical parts of America and Asia ; and occasionally 
of the Cape of Good Hope, Madagascar, and Australia. Illus- 
trative Genera :—Cycas, Linn.; Zamia, Lindl. There are about 
50 species. 
Properties and Uses.—The stems and seeds of the plants of 
this order yield mucilage and starch. 
Cycas.—F rom the stems of Cycas circinalis and C. revoluta a starch may 
be obtained. Of this a kind of sago is prepared; that from C. revoluta is 
said to constitute Japan Sago, which is esteemed as an article of food where 
it is obtained. But this sago is not an article of European commerce, all 
the sago imported into Europe being derived from species of Palms. (See 
Metroxylon and Saguerus.) The seeds of the above species are also edible. 
Dion edule has large mealy seeds from which the Mexicans prepare a 
kind of arrowroot. 
Encephalartos.—V arious species contain starch, and form what is called 
Caffre-bread. 
Zamia.—In the Bahamas and other West Indian islands, excellent 
arrowroot is prepared from the starch obtained from the stems of Z. integri- 
Jolia and other species. It is sold in the West India markets, but is not 
known as a commercial article in this country or in any other part of Europe. 
Florida arrowroot is also obtained from this plant. 
Artificial Analysis of the Orders in the GYMNOSPERMIA. 
1. Stem jointed, branched ; ; * . . Gnetacex. 
2. Stem not jointed. 
Branched. Leaves simple. 
Carpels collected in cones. Coniferz. 
Seed solitary, usually surrounded by a suc- 
culent coat F Taxacex. 
Not branched, or dichotomous. Leaves pinnate Cycadacex. 
