DICOTYLEDONES— THALAMIFLOR^ 285 



Diagnosis (excluding Krameria). —Heihs or shrubs, with 

 simple exstipulate leaves. Flowers irregular, unsymmetrical. 

 Sepals and petals imbricate, not commonly corresponding in 

 number, and usually arranged in a somewhat papilionaceous 

 manner ; odd petal anterior ; odd sepal posterior. Stamens 8, 

 hypogynous, usually combined ; anthers generally 1-celled, with 

 porous dehiscence. Fruit flattened, usuall}^ 2-celled and 2-seeded, 

 Seeds with abundant fleshy albumen, and with a caruncule next 

 the hilum. 



Distrihution and Numbers. — Some genera of the order are 

 found in almost every part of the globe. The individual genera 

 are, however, generally confined to particular regions, with the 

 exception of the genus Polijgala, which is very widely- distributed, 

 bemg found in almost every description of station, and in both 

 warm and temperate regions. Illustrative Genera : — Polygala, 

 Linn.; Monnina., Bui z et Pavon ; Soulamea, Lam. There are 

 over 500 species. 



Properties and Uses. — The greater part of the plants of this 

 order are bitter and acrid, and their roots milky ; hence they 

 are fi:equently tonic, stimulant, and febrifugal. Some are 

 emetic, purgative, diuretic, sudorific, or expectorant. The roots 

 of the different species of Kramer ia are very astringent from 

 the presence of tannic acid ; they are commonly known under 

 the name of Bhatamj roots. A few species have edible fruits, 

 and others abound in a saponaceous principle. 



Order 68. Vochysiace^, the Vochysia Order. — C h a r a c t e r. 

 — Trees or sliruhs. with entire usually opposite leaves, which are 

 furnished at the base with glands or stipules. Flowers very 

 irregular and unsymmetrical. Sepals 4 — 5, united at the base, 

 very unequal, the upper one spurred, cestivation imbricate. 

 Petals 1, 2, 3, or 5, unequal, inserted upon the calyx ; cestivation 

 imbricate. Stamens 1 to 5, usually opposite the petals, or rarely 

 alternate, arising from the bottom of the calyx, most of them 

 sterile. Ovary superior or partially inferior, o-celled, or rarely 

 1-celled; ^; Za cen ^as axile ; style and stigma 1. Fruit usually 

 capsular, 3-cornered, 3-celled, with loculicidal dehiscence ; or 

 rarel}' indehiscent and 1-celled. Seeds usually winged, without 

 albumen, erect. 



This order is, on account of its Calycifloral character, fre- 

 quently placed near Comhretacea;, but it is readily distinguished 

 from it by its superior or nearly superior ovary. Lindley 

 considered it most nearly allied to the Violaeece and the Poly- 

 galacece — hence we place it here. 



