MONOCHLAMYDE-^. 635 



Flowers diclinous. Male flower with a 3 — 4-cleft calyx. Stamens 

 3 — 7 ; ayithers 2-celled, linear, bursting longitudinally. Female 

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

 with 3 — 4 polyspermous parietal placentas. Fruit dry, opening 

 at the apex. Seeds without albumen, minute, numerous. 



Distribution, ^-c. — They are widely distributed over the globe. 

 Examples of the Genera: — Datisca, Tetrameles, Tricerastes. 

 The above are the only genera : there are 4 species. 



Properties and Uses. — Of little importance. Datisca cannabina 

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

 a yeUow dye. Useful fibres might probably be obtained from 

 the plants of this order. 



Natural Order 206, Sajitdaces;. — The Samyda Order. — 

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

 green, stipulate, usually with roimd or linear transparent dots. 

 Flowers perfect. Calt/x inferior, 4 — o-partite. Stamens perigy- 

 nous, 2, 3, or 4 times as many as the segments of the calyx ; 

 filaments imited, some of them frequently sterile ; anthers 2-celled. 

 Oyary superior, 1-celled; style 1, filiform; ^^acew;'^^ parietal, bear- 

 ing numerous ovules. Frz/.iZ' capsular, leathery, 1-celled. Seeds 

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



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

 rican. Examples of the Genera : — Samyda, Casearia. There 

 are above 100 species. 



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

 monly bitter and astringent. Casearia idmifolia, a native of 

 Brazil, is there highly esteemed as a remedy against snake-bites. 

 Some species of Casearia have poisonous properties. C. esculenta 

 has purgative roots. 



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

 Characte r, — Shrubby plants. Lea ves simple, alternate, stipu- 

 late. 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, which bursts transversely. Ovary superior, seated 

 in a disk, 1-celled, with numerous ovides attached to parietal 

 placentas. Fruit capsular, 1-celled, 2 — 3 valved. heeds generally 

 2 or 3, arillate, suspended, with fleshy albumen. 



Distribution, ^-c. — Natives of woody places in tropical America. 

 Examples of the Genera : — There are 2 genera, namely, Lacistema 

 and Synzyganthera, which contain 6 species. Their properties 

 and uses are unknown. 



Natural Order 208. Chailletiaceje. — The Chailletia Order. — 

 Character. — Trees or shrubs. Leaves alternate, entire, stipu- 

 late. Calyx inferior, of 5 sepals ; (estivation induplicate. Stamens 

 10, perigynous, in two alternate whorls, the outer petaloid and 

 sterile. Ovary superior, 2 — 3-celled, with twin pendulous ovules. 

 Fruit dry, 1 — 3-celIed. Seeds pendulous, exalbuminous. Many 



