PORLIERIA. 



441. P. hygrometrica H. and P. syst. 94. DC. prodr. 

 \. 707. A. de J. rutac. 74. Waste places in Chili and Peru. 

 (Turucasa.) 



A hard-wooded, rigid, scrubby, grey-barked bush. Leaves opposite, 

 usually as if fasciculated in consequence of the shortness of the lateral 

 branches, with 2 short spiny stipules, abruptly pinnated ; leaflets closing 

 at the approach of rain, in 4^6 pairs, very small, linear-oblong, emar- 

 ginate, smooth, sessile j petiole slightly downy. Peduncles clustered 

 and solitary, terminal, downy, 1-flowered. Properties similar to those 

 of Guaiacum. 



XANTHOXYLACE^E. 



Nat. syst. ed. 2. p. 135. 



PTELEA. 



Flowers unisexual. Calyx short, 4-5-parted. Petals 4-5, 

 longer than the calyx, spreading. $ . Stamens 4-5, longer than 

 the petals ; filaments thickened and hairy at the base, inserted 

 round a receptacle bearing an abortive pistil. J . Stamens 4-5, 

 very short, with abortive anthers. Ovary upon a convex recep- 

 tacle, compressed, 2-celled. Fruit compressed, membranous inde- 

 hiscent, turgid in the middle, surrounded by an orbicular wing. 



442. P. trifoliata Linn. sp. pi. 173. Willd. i. 670. 



Torrey fl. i. 189. Duh. arb. t. 43 Shady moist hedges and 



edges of woods, among rocks in the United States. 



A shrub 6-8 feet high. Leaves ternate, with pellucid dots ; leaflets 

 oblong, acuminate, sessile, downy beneath, crenulate or obscurely 

 toothed. Flowers greenish white in terminal spreading panicles. 

 Young green shoots anthelmintic. Fruit aromatic and bitter, and a 

 good substitute for hops. 



XANTHOXYLON. 



Dioecious. Calyx short, 3-4-5-partite. Petals as many and 

 longer than the sepals, very rarely wanting. $ . Stamens as 

 many as the petals, equal to or longer than them, inserted round 

 the base of the gynophore. Pistillum rudimentary, simple or 

 compound. $ . Stamens usually wanting, sometimes very short, 

 and either with or without abortive anthers. Ovaries (1-5) as 

 many as the petals or fewer, seated on a globose or cylindrical 

 gynophore : ovules 2 in each cell, suspended, collateral. Styles 

 1 from the apex of each ovary, either distinct or united at the 

 apex, sometimes very short or scarcely any. Capsules 1-5, 

 215 P 4 



