428 SYSTEMATIC BOTANY. 



Division of the Order, and Examples of the Genera. — The 

 order is divided into two tribes : — 



Tribe 1. Magnoliea. — Carpels arranged upon an elongated 

 thalamus in a cone-like manner. Leaves not dotted, or scarcely 

 so. Examples: — Liriodendron, Magnolia. 



Tribe 2. Wintere(S. — Carpels forming but one whorl. Leaves 

 dotted, and often exstipulate. Examples: — Drimys, Illicium. 



Distribution and J^icmbcrs.—The majority of the order are 

 found in North America. Some also occur in the West Indies, 

 Japan, China, India, South America, Australia, and New 

 Zealand. None have been found in Africa or any of the ad- 

 joining islands, or in Europe. The order contains 170 species. 



Properties and Uses. — The plants of the order are chiefly 

 remarkable for bitter, tonic, and aromatic properties. The fol- 

 lowing are the more important : — 



Drimvs Winteri or aromatica.— The bark, which was formerly Irnown 

 under the name of Winter's bark, has tonic, aromatic, and stimulant pro- 

 perties. It was often confounded with Canella Bark, which has been tei-med 

 Spnrious Winter's Bark. It was formerly much employed in this country, 

 but at present it is seldom or never used. The Winter's Bark, as now found 

 in commerce, is derived from Cinnamodendron corticosu/n, a native of Jamaica. 

 Lrimps granatensis possesses similar properties. 



Jllirmm anisatum. Star Anise.— Tne whole plant, pai-ticularly the fruit, 

 has the flavour and odour of the European Anise plant {Pimpivella Antsum). 

 (See Pimpinella.) Star Anise fruit is used by the Chinese as an ai-omatic 

 and carminative, and as a spice. The greater portion of the Oil of Anise of 

 commerce is now derived from Star Anise fruit. This oil is officinal in the 

 British Pharmacopoeia, and is generally regarded as a superior oil to that 

 obtained in Europe from the fruit of Pimpinella Anisum. 



Liriodendron tuHpifera, Tulip-tree.— The bark possesses bitter and tonic 

 properties. 



Magnolia.— M. glattcn. Swamp Sassafras or Beaver Tree. The bark is tonic 

 and aromatic, resembling Cinchona in its a:tion. The unripe fruits of 

 other species, as Magnolia Frazeri and M. acuminata, have similar properties. 



Tasmannia aromatica.— The fruit is used in New Holland as a substitute 

 for pepper. 



The plants of this order are also remarkable for the fragrance and beauty 

 of their flowers and foliage ; hence they are favourite objects of culture in 

 this co-mti-y, either as hardy plants, such as several Magnolias, and tlie 

 Tulip-tree, or as stove or greenhouse plants. 



Natural Order 4. Anonace^. — The Custard- Apple Order. — 

 Character. — Trees or shrubs. Leaves alternate, simple, 

 exstipulate. Calyx of three sepals, generally coherent at the 

 base, persistent. Corolla of six petals, in two whorls, leathery; 

 (Bstivation usually valvate, hypogynous, rarely united, or more 

 rarely altogether absent. Stamens usually numerous, and in- 

 serted on a large hypogynous thalamus ; connective enlarged, 

 4-angled ; anthers adnate. Carpels usually numerous, distinct 

 or united, with one or more anatropal ovules. Fruit composed 

 of a number of dry or succulent carpels, which are distinct, or 

 united so as to form a fleshy mass. Seeds one or more, ana- 

 tropal; embryo mmnie. ; albumen r^xvcimviteA. 



