634 SYSTEMATIC BOTANY. 



reticulated testa, and without albumen. This order and the 

 Datiscacece are placed by some botanists near to Cucurbitaceae, 

 to which they are certainly nearly allied. 



Distribution, 8fc. — Natives chiefly of India, South America, 

 and the West Indies. Examples: — Begonia, Diploclinium. 

 There are 4 genera, and 160 species. 



Properties and Uses. — They are reputed generally to possess 

 astringent and bitter qualities, and occasionally to be purgative. 

 None however, have any particular importance. 



Natural Order 205. Datiscace^. — The Datisca Order. — 

 Herbs or trees. Zeares alternate, exstipulate. i^Wers diclinous. 

 3Iale fiower with a 3 — 4-cleft calyx. Stamens 3 — 7 ; anthers 

 2-cclled, linear, bursting longitudinally. Female flower with a 

 superior 3 — 4- toothed calyx, and a 1 -celled ovary, with 3 — 4 

 polyspermous parietal placentas. Frtcit dry, opening at the apex. 

 Seeds without albumen, minute, numerous. 



Distribution, Sfc. — They are widely distributed over the globe. 

 Examples : — Datisca, Tetrameles, Tricerastes. The above are 

 the only genera : there are 4 species. 



Properties and £/ses. — Of little importance. Datisca cannabina 

 is bitter and purgative. The root is employed in Cashmere as 

 a yellow dye. Useful fibres might probably be obtained from 

 the plants of this order. 



Natural Order. 206. Samydaceje. — The Samyda Order. — 

 Trees or shrubs. Leaves alternate, simple, evergreen, stipulate, 

 usually with round or linear transparent dots. Flowers perfect. 

 Calyx inferior, 4 — 5-partite. Stamens perigynous, 2, 3, or 4 

 times as many as the segments of the calyx ; filameiits united, 

 some of them frequently sterile ; anthers 2 -celled. Ovary 

 superior, 1 -celled ; style 1, filiform ; placentas parietal, bearing 

 numerous ovules. Fruit capsular, leathery, 1 -celled. Seeds 

 numerous, arillate, with oily or fleshy albumen ; embryo large. 



Distribution, ^-c. —Exclusively tropical, and principally Ame- 

 rican. Examples : — Samyda, Casearia. There are 5 genera, 

 and 80 species. 



Properties and Uses. — Of little importance. They are com- 

 monly bitter and astringent. 



Natural Order 207. Lacistemace^. — The Lacistema Order. 

 — Shrubby plants. Leaves simple, alternate, stipulate. Flowers 

 in axillary catkins, perfect or unisexual. Calyx inferior, with 

 several divisions, enclosed by a bract. Stamen 1, hypogynous, 

 with a 2-lobed connective, each lobe bearing 1 cell of the 

 anther, wliicli bursts transverfiely. Ovary superior, seated in a 

 disk, 1-celled, with numerous ovules attached to parietal pla- 

 centas. Fruit capsular, 1-celled, 2—3 valved. Seeds generally 

 2 or 3, arillate, susi)cndcd, with fleshy albumen. 



Dislributioii, ^c. — Natives of woody jilaccs in tropical America. 

 Examples: — There arc 2 genera, namely, Lacistema, and Synz^- 



