MONOCHLAMYDE^. 



653 



Fig 1021. Fig. 1022. 



Natural Order 234. SALiCACEiE.— The Willow Order {figs. 

 1021 and 1022). — Trees or shrubs. Leaves simple, alternate, 

 stipulate. Flowers unisexual (figs. 

 1021 and 1022), amentaceous, 

 (^^s. 392 and 393), naked, or with 

 a membranous or cup-like calyx. 

 Male flowers {fig. 1021) with 1— 

 30, distinct or monadelphous sta- 

 mens. Female flowers with a 

 superior, 1 -celled ovary {fig. 1022); 

 ovules numerous, erect. Fruit 1- 

 celled, 2-valved. Seeds numerous, 

 covered with long silky hairs {fig. 

 733), exalbuminous ; embryo erect, 

 with an inferior radicle. 



Distribution, ^c Chiefly na- 

 tives of cold and temperate cli- 



; — Salix, Po- 



2 genera, and 



Fig. 1021. Male flower of a species of 

 willow (Sali:r\ with two stamens, 

 and a single bract at the base. Fig. 

 10-J2. Female flower of tlie above 

 with bract at tlie base, and a soli - 

 tary stalked ovary surmounted by 

 two stigmas. 



mates. Examples 

 pulus. There are 

 about 250 species. 



Properties and Uses. — Many 

 species are either valuable as tim- 

 ber, or for economic purposes. 

 The bark commonly possesses 

 tonic, astringent, and febrifugal 

 properties. The liairs which invest their seeds have been era- 

 ployed for stuffing cushions, and for other purposes. The buds 

 of some species secrete an oleo-resinous substance of a stimulat- 

 ing nature. 



Snlix. — Several species of this genus are used for timber, and for basket- 

 work ; also for the manufacture of charcoal. Tlie limber is, however, want- 

 ing in strength and durability. A peculiar crystalline alkaloid resembling 

 quina in its properties, called' sal/cine, has been obtained from the bark, 

 leaves, or flowers, of about twenty sppcies of Salix. The harks of S. RusselUana, 

 S. alba, S. Caprea, S. fragilis, S. pentandra, and S. purpurea, yield most 

 salicine. 



Populus, Poplar Several species of this genus have been employed for 



their limber. The bark of several species is tonic, astringent, and febrilugal, 

 which properties it owes to the presence of salicine. 



The three succeeding orders, namely, the Balanophoraceae, 

 Cytinaceae, and Rafflesiaceoe, have been commonly put by 

 botani.sts in a class by themselves, which they have placed be- 

 tween the Cryptogamia and Phanerogamia, and to which the 

 name of Rhizogens or Rhizantheae has been commonly given. 

 The special characteristics of this class were said to be, the 

 acotyledonous embryo, the fungoid texture, and the peculiar 

 parasitic habit of such plants : but as one or more of such 

 characters occur in several orders of Dicotyledones, there 

 does not appear to be any sufficiently valid reasons for sepa- 

 rating them from that class of plants. By Dr. Hooker, the 



