MONOCHLAMYDE.E. 657 



in an iron pan, after which bamboo sticks covered with cotton are dipped 

 into the meltevl mass, when the waxy substance of the plant adheres to them. 

 This so-called wax is, according to Dr. De Vry, a mixture of at least two 

 resins and a vegetable fat. 



Cynomoriuin cocaneum is the Fungus melUensis of pharmacologists. It has 

 had a great reputation as a styptic. 



Langsdorffia hypoga'a.—'Dr. Hooker says "that this species yields so large 

 a quantity of wax, that candles are made of it in New Granada." The stems 

 are also said to be collected near Bogota, " and sold under the name of Si^os, 

 and used as candles on saints' days." 



Natural Order 233. Cytinace.?:. — The Cistus-rape Order. 

 — C h a r a e t e r. — Root parasites with a fungoid texture. Flowers 

 perfect or unisexual, and either solitary and sessile, or clustered 

 at the top of a scaly stem. Calyx 3 — 6-parted. Anthers sessile, 

 opening longitudinally. Ovary 1-celled, inferior ; ovules very 

 numerous ; 'placentas parietal. Fruit 1-celled, with numerous 

 seeds imbedded in pulp. Seeds with or without albumen ; embryo 

 amorphous. 



Distribution, ^'o. — Parasitic on the roots of Cistus, upon 

 fleshy Euphorbiacese, and upon other succulent plants. They 

 occur in the south of Europe and Africa. Examples of the 

 genera: — Cytinus, Hydnora, There are 7 species. 



Properties and Uses. — Some have astringent properties, as 

 Cytinus Hypocistus. A kind of extract is made from this plant 

 in the South of Europe, and used, under the name of Succus 

 Hypocistidis, in diarrhoea and for arresting haemorrhage. Hyd- 

 nora africana has a putrid-animal odour, but when roasted it is 

 eaten by the native Africans at the Cape of Good Hope. 



Natural Order 237. RAFFLESiACEiE. — The Rafflesia Order. 

 — Character. — Stemless and leafless parasites {fig. 232), of a 

 fungoid texture. The plants consist solely of flowers {fig. 232), 

 which are sessile upon the branches of trees, and are surrounded 

 by scaly bracts. The flowers are perfect or dioecious. Calyx 

 5-parted {fig. 232), tubular; the throat surrounded by a number 

 of thickened scaly processes, which are either distinct from each 

 other, or united into a ring. Anthers placed upon a column 

 which adheres to the calyx, 2-celled, distinct, and each opening 

 by a pore ; or united into a many-celled body and opening 

 by a common pore. Ovary 1-celled, inferior, ovules numerous ; 

 placentas parietal. Fruit indehiscent. Seeds very numerous, 

 with or without albumen ; embryo amorphous. 



Distribution, ^-c. — Parasitic upon the stems of Cissi in the 

 East Indies, and on Leguminous plants in South America. Ex- 

 amples of the genera: — Eafflesia, Brugmansia. There are 16 

 species. 



Properties and Uses. — Some have styptic and astringent pro- 

 perties. They are chiefly remarkable for their flowers, some of 

 which are of a gigantic size, and fungoid in texture. (See page 

 119.) 



