THALAMIFLOE.^. 489 



globe where the climate is at all adapted to its growth. The varieties 

 of the Tine are exceedingly numerous, being more than 300. The fruits, 

 under the name of Grapes, are too well known to need any particular 

 description. They have been in use for more than 4,000 years for the 

 making of wine, &c. Grapes possess refrigerant properties, and hence are 

 useful in febrile and inflammatory affections. Grapes when dried are 

 called i-aisins. Of raisins we have several commercial varieties, the more 

 important of which are Talent^ as, Malagas, Muscatels, Sultanas, and 

 Smymas. The Muscatels or Raisins of the Sun are considered the finest. 

 The Sultanas are remarkable for the absence of seeds. Eaisins possess 

 demulcent properties, but they are principally employed in medicine for 

 flavouring purposes. Besides the above kinds, there is also a small variety 

 of raisin, commonly known uuder the name of Currants ; this name is a 

 corruption of Corinth, where they were originally grown, but they are now 

 obtained from Zante, and some other of the Greek Islands. 



The leaf of the Tine is astringent, and has teen used in diarrhoea ; and the 

 sap has been employed in France in chronic ophthalmia. Vitis vulpina, 

 r. Labrusca, and others, which grow wild in Is^orth America, yield fruits 

 which are known as Fox-grapes. These are similar, although very inferior 

 in their properties, to those of the Common Grape. 



Natural Order 52. Pittosporace^. — The Pittospomm 

 Order. — Character. — Trees ov shrubs, ieai-^5 simple, alternate, 

 exstipulate. Flowers regular. Sepals 4 or 5, distinct or some- 

 what coherent, deciduous, imbricated. Petals hypogjnous, cor- 

 responding in number to the sepals, sometimes slightly coherent, 

 imbricated. Stamens 5, distinct, hypogynous, alternate with 

 the petals; anthers 2-celled, with longitudinal or porous de- 

 hiscence. Ovary superior, 2 — 5-celled ; ^;/«(7f7iZ'fl5axile or parie- 

 tal ; style single ; stigmas equal in number to the placentas ; 

 ovules numerous, horizontal or ascending. Fruit baccate, or a 

 capsule, with loculicidal dehiscence. Seeds numerous ; embryo 

 minute, in a large quantity of fleshy albumen. 



Diagnosis. — Trees or shrubs, with simple alternate exstipu- 

 late leaves. Flowers regidar. Sepals and petals 4 or 5, 

 hypog}"nous, imbricated, deciduous. Stamens 5, hypogynous, 

 alternate with the petals, with 2-celled anthers. Ovary superior ; 

 style single ; stigmas equal in number to the placentas, which 

 are 2 or more, and either axile or parietal ; ovrdes anatropal, 

 horizontal or ascending. Seeds numerous, with a minute em- 

 bryo in copious fleshy albumen. 



Bistrihution , ^-c. — They are chiefly Australian plants ; but 

 are occasionally found in Africa and some other parts of the 

 globe. Xone, however, occur in Europe or America. Examples 

 of the Genera: — Pittosporum, Cheiranthera, Sollya. The order 

 includes 80 .species. 



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

 remarkable for their resinous properties. Some have edible 

 fruits, as certain species of Billardiera. A few are cultivated 

 in this country on account of their flowers, as Sollya, Bil- 

 lardiera, ^'c. 



Natural Order 53. CA>'ELLACEa:. — The Canella Order, — 



