480 SYSTEMA.TIC BOTANY. 



employed in diiferent districts by the dyer, in the production 

 of yellow, reddish-brown, and blue colours. The most important 

 genus is 



■ Acer. — A. saccharinum is the Sugar Maple. The Maple Sugar of America 

 is obtained from this tree, by making perforations into its trunk at the 

 commencement of spring, and boiling down the saccharine sap which then 

 exudes to the crystallizing point. A few years since as much as 4.5 mil- 

 lions of pounds of Maple Sugar were annually produced in North America, 

 but the quantity diminishes yearly, in consequence of the destruction of the 

 native forests. A. dasycai-pum and other species also yield sugar. The bark 

 of A. saccharinum has been used in America in the production of a blue dye, 

 and as an ingredient in the manufacture of ink. A. campestre and A. 

 Pseudo-platanus are common trees in Britain, and afford useful timber ; the 

 latter is commonly known under the names of the Sycamore, Greater Maple, 

 and Mock-plane. It derives the latter name from the resemblance of its 

 leaves to those of the true Plane-tree. Its wood is also used for making 

 charcoal. 



Natural Order 45. Hippocrateace^. — The Hippocratea Or- 

 der. — Character. — ^SArwi^s, frequently with a climbing habit, 

 and generally smooth. Leaves opposite, simple, with small 

 deciduous stipules. Cal^x 5-lobed, very small, persistent, imbri- 

 cated. Petals 5, hypogynous, imbricated. Stamens 3, mona- 

 delphous ; the coherent filaments forming a disk-like cup round 

 the ovary ; anthers with transverse dehiscence. Ovary superior, 

 3-celled; style 1 ; stigmas 1 — 3. Fruit either baccate, and 1 — 3- 

 celled, or consisting of three samaroid carpels. Seeds definite, 

 attached to axile placentas, exalbuminous ; embryo straight; 

 cotyledons fiat, and of a somewhat fleshy nature ; radicle inferior. 



JDiagnosis. — Shrubs with opposite simple leaves, and small 

 deciduous stipules. Flowers small, regular, and unsymmetrical. 

 Sepals and petals 5, hypogynous, imbricated, the former per- 

 sistent. Stamens 3, hypogynous, monadelphous ; anthers with 

 transverse dehiscence. Ovary 3-celled; placentas axile; style 1. 

 Fruit baccate, or consisting of 3 samaroid carpels. Seeds definite, 

 exalbuminous ; embryo straight ; radicle inferior. 



Distribution, <Sfc. — They abound principally in South America ; 

 some are also found in Africa and the East Indies. Examples of 

 the Genera : — Hippocratea, Tontelea. There are 86 species. 



Properties and Uses. — Very little is known generally of the 

 plants of this order. The fruit of several Brazilian species of 

 Tontelea is edible, and in Sierra Leone that of T. pynformis is 

 described as very pleasant. Bippocratea comosa yields nuts of 

 an oily and sweet nature. 



Natural Order 46. MAXPiGHiACEiE. — The Malpighia Order. — 

 Character. — Trees or shrubs, often climbing. Xeaves usually 

 opposite or whorled, rarely alternate ; stipidrs generally short 

 and deciduous, sometimes larger and interpetiolar ; the leaves 

 are sometimes furnished with hairs, which are fixed by their 

 middle, that is, peltate {fig. 126). Flowers perfect, or poly- 

 gamous. Calyx 5-partite, persistent, frequently with glands 



