378 MANUAL OF BOTANY 



Tribe 5. Pyrolece. — Herbs or somewhat shrubby plants. Corolla 

 polypetalous, or the petals united at the base, deciduous. 

 Fruit capsular, loculicidal. Illustrative Genera: — Pyrola, 



Toiirn. \ Chiniaphila, Pursh. 



Distrihiition and Numbers. — They are very abundant at the 

 Cape of Good Hope, and are also more or less generally dis- 

 tributed in Europe, North and South America, and Asia. There 

 are more than 900 species. 



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

 remarkable for astringent properties ; some are tonic and diu- 

 retic, and others are narcotic, or even poisonous. This is 

 especially the case with Kahnia latifolia, Bliododendron chry- 

 santhum, Andromeda florihunda, and Azalea ijontica. The 

 fruits of many are edible. 



Order 175. Monotropace^, the Fir-rape Order. — Cha- 

 racter. — Saiirophytes with scale-like leaves. Sepals more or 

 less distinct, 4 — 5, inferior. Petals 4 — -5, distinct or united. Sta- 

 mens twice as many as the petals, hypogynous ; anthers 2-celled, 

 with longitudinal dehiscence. Ovary superior, 4— 5-celled at the 

 base, 1 -celled with 5 parietal placentas at the apex. Fruit cap- 

 sular, with loculicidal dehiscence. Seeds numerous, with a loose 

 testa ; embryo minute, at the apex of fleshy albumen. This 

 order is referred to EricacecB by Bentham and Hooker. It is 

 closely allied to the Pyrolecs. 



Distribution and Numbers. — They are found growing on Firs 

 chiefly, in the cool parts of Europe, Asia, and North America. 

 Illustrative Genus : — Monotropa, Nutt. There are about 10 

 species. 



Proi^erties and Uses. — Unimportant. 



Order 176. Epacridace^, the Epacris Order. — C h a r a c t e r. 

 Shrubs, or small trees. Leaves alternate or rarely opposite, simple, 

 with parallel or radiating veins. Calyx and corolla inferior, usu- 

 ally 5-partite, or rarely 4-partite. Stamens equal in number to the 

 divisions of the corolla, or rarely fewer, hypogynous or adherent to 

 the corolla ; anthers 1 -celled, without appendages, opening longi- 

 tudinally. Ovary superior, many- or 1- celled ; style simple. 

 Fruit fleshy or capsular. Seeds with a firm skin, albuminous. 



Distribution and Numbers. — Natives of Australia, the Indian 

 Archipelago, and the South Sea Islands, where they are very 

 abundant. Illustrative Genera : — Astroloma, B. Br. ; Epacris, 

 Smith. There are about 350 species. 



ProjJerties and Uses. — Of little importance, except for the 

 beauty of their flowers, on which account they are much culti- 



