BOTANY. 129 



ascending ; style simple ; stigma simple. Fruit inclosed in the calyx, 

 drupaceous, usually unilocular by abortion. Seeds usually solitary, erect, 

 or suspended ; embryo slender, in the axis of fleshy albumen ; cotyledons 

 fiat, foliaceous ; radicle long, pointing to the hilum. Trees or shrubs, with 

 alternate, exstipulate leaves, and frequently stellate hairs. They are 

 chiefly natives of warm countries. There are two sections : 1. Styracecc, 

 ^ith a more or less valvate aestivation of the corolla, and long anthers. 2. 

 JSymplocecB, with a quincuncial corolline aestivation, and roundish anthers. 

 Lindley gives 6 genera, including 115 species. Examples: Sty rax, Halesia, 

 Symplocos. 



Storax, a well-known balsamic, resinous substance, is the concrete juice 

 of Styrax officinale, a native of the Mediterranean region. Styi-ax benzoin, 

 a tree growing in Sumatra and Borneo, furnishes gum benzoin. North 

 American representatives are species of Halesia or Snow-drop tree, found 

 in the southern States. 



Styrax benzoin (pi. 64, ßg. 4) ; a, a flowering branch ; b, a flower ; c, 

 ditto exposed ; d, anthers ; e, the pistil ; f, section of ovary ; g, fruit ; h, 

 portion of the pericarp removed, showing the stone ; i, the stone with the 

 upper portion removed ; k, section of seed. 



Order 107. CoLUMELLiACEiE, the Columellia Family. Calyx superior, 

 quinquepartite. Corolla rotate, inserted into the calyx, five- to eight-parted ; 

 aestivation imbricate. Stamens two, inserted in the throat of the corolla ; 

 anthers roundish, three-lobed, extrorse, each consisting of six linear, sinuous 

 cells, arranged in pairs, dehiscing longitudinally, and attached to a three- 

 lobed, fleshy connective. Disk fleshy, perigynous. Ovary adhering to the 

 calycine tube, tw^o-celled ; ovules 00 ; style simple, smooth ; stigma capitate, 

 two-lobed. Fruit, a bilocular, bivalvular capsule, with both septicidal and 

 loculicidal dehiscence. Seeds 00 ; testa smooth and coriaceous ; embryo 

 straight, in the axis of fleshy albumen ; cotyledons oval, obtuse ; radicle 

 long, pointing to the hilum. Evergreen shrubs or trees, with opposite, 

 entire, exstipulate leaves, and solitary yellow flowers. Natives of JMexico 

 and Peru. Their properties unknown. There is one genus mentioned, 

 including three species. Example : Columellia. 



Order 108. EpACRiDACEiE, the Epacris Family. Calyx five-, rarely four- 

 parted, often colored, persistent. Corolla inserted at the base of the calyx, 

 or hypogynous, deciduous or marcescent, monopetalous, sometimes separable 

 into five petals ; limb with five, rarely four equal divisions, sometimes bv 

 the cohesion of the segments bursting transversely ; aestivation imbricated 

 or valvate. Stamens inserted with or on the corolla, equal in number to. 

 and alternate with its segments, rarely fewer ; anthers one-celled, without 

 appendages, opening longitudinally ; pollen round, or formed of three united 

 grains, attached to a single central receptacle. Ovary sessile, free, 

 plurilocular, rarely unilocular, surrounded by scales at the base ; ovules- 

 solitary or 00 ; style one ; stigma simple, sometimes toothed. Fruit 

 drupaceous, baccate, or capsular. Seeds albuminous ; embryo slender, in 

 the axis of fleshy albumen, and about half its length. Shrubs or small trees, 

 with alternate, rarely opposite, exstipulate leaves, which are sometimes half- 



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