M0N0CHLAMYDE2E. 



641 



but is not so much valued there for food as the plantain. In the South Sea 

 Islands the juice is employed as glue, the wood as timber, and the bark for 

 makiug a coarse kind of cloth. A. integrifoUa yields the Jak or Jack-fruit ; 

 this is largely used as food by the natives in Ceylon, Souther-n India, and other 

 warm parts of Asia. The roasted seeds are also much esteemed. The inner 

 wood is also employed to dye the Buddhist priests' robes of a yellow colour. 



Brosimum. — B. Galadodetidron is the celebrated Palo de Vaca, or Cow- 

 tree of South America. It is so named from its milky juice being nutritious 

 like milk from the cow. The fibrous bark of B. Xamagua is used in Panama 

 for sails, ropes, garments, &c. B. Aubletii {Firatuiera Guianensis), a native of 

 British Guiana,"istbe source of the beautiful fancy wood called Snake-wood, 

 Leopai'd-wood, or Letter-wood. B. AUccuitrum yields edible seeds, which 

 are called Bread-nuts in Jamaica. The wood, which somewhat resembles 

 mahogany, is also tliere used by cabinet makers. 



Fia. 1011, 



Castilloa elastica. — According to Mr. 

 CoUins, this species yields aU the India 

 rubbers obtained from Central America, 

 Ecuador, New Granada, and the "West 

 Indies ; and known commercially as West 

 Indian, Carthagena, Nicaragua, Honduras, 

 G-uyaquil, and Guatemala rubbers. 



Cecropia peltata is remarkable for its 

 stems being hollow except at the nodes, 

 hence they are used for ^\-ind instruments. 



Cudrania. — The heart-wood of a si)ecies 

 o£ this genus, native of East Tropical 

 Africa, yields a light yellow colour some- 

 what between quercitron bark and fustic. 



Pliytocrene. — ^This genus is now com- 

 monly considered to constitute a new 

 order called Phytocrenacece. The plants are 

 climbing shrubs, natives of the East Indies, 

 with dichlamydeous imisexual flowers, and 

 seeds Mith a large quantity of albumen, 

 which latter character at once distinguishes 

 them from Artocarpaceje. They yield a 

 large quantity of watery juice when 

 woimded, hence they are termed Water- 

 vines, or '• plant-foimtains." InMartaban 

 this jidce is di-unk by the natives. 



Natural Order 214. Platanace^. 

 —The Plane Order {fig. 1011).— 

 Character. — Trees or shrubs with 

 a watery juice. Leaves alternate, 

 with deciduous sheathing stipules 

 {fig. 1011). Floiuers unisexual, 

 monoecious, in globular {fig. 1011) 

 amentaceous heads ; achlamydeous. 

 Male flowers with one stamen, and 

 a 2-celled linear anther. FemaU 

 flowers {fig. 1011) consisting of a 

 1 -celled ovary, and a thick style; 

 ovules 1 — 2, suspended. Fruits ar- 

 ranged in a compact rounded head, 

 consisting of clavate achenia with a 

 persistent style. Seeds 1 — 2, pendulous ; embryo in very thia 

 albumen, with an inferior radicle. 



T T 



Fig. 1011. Branch of the Plane 

 Tree (Platanus orientalis), with 

 amentaceous heads of achla- 

 ruydeous female tiowers. 



