356 ANONACE.E MENISPERMACEJE. 



tulipifera, the Tulip-tree, marked by its truncate leaves, has similar 

 properties. 



744. Order 4. Anonacere, the Custard-apple Family. (Polypet. 

 Hypog.) Sepals 3-4, persistent, often partially cohering. Petals 6, 

 hypogynous, in two rows, coriaceous, with a valvate aestivation. Sta- 

 mens indefinite (very rarely definite); anthers adnate, extrorse, with 

 a large 4-cornered connective. Carpels usually numerous, separate 

 or cohering slightly, rarely definite; ovules anatropal, solitary or several, 

 erect or ascending. Fruit succulent or dry, the carpels being one or 

 many-seeded, and either distinct or united into a fleshy mass ; spermo- 

 derm brittle; embryo minute, at the base of a ruminated perisperm. 

 Trees or shrubs, with alternate, simple, exstipulate leaves, found usually 

 in tropical countries. Lindley enumerates 20 genera, including 300 

 species. Examples Anona, Uvaria, Guatteria. 



745. Their properties are generally aromatic and fragrant. Some 

 of the plants are bitter and tonic, others yield edible fruits. The Cus- 

 tard-apples, Sweetsops, and Soursops of the East and West Indies, are 

 furnished by various species of Anona, such as A. squamosa, reticulafa, 

 and muricata. Anona cherimolia furnishes the Cherimoyer, a well- 

 known Peruvian fruit. The fruit of Xylopia aromatica is commonly 

 called Ethiopian Pepper, from being used as pepper in Africa. Xylopia 

 glabra is called Bitter-wood in the West Indies. The Lancewood 

 of coachmakers appears to be furnished by a plant belonging to this 

 order, called by Schomburgk Duguetia quitarensis. 



746. Order 5. menispermacete, the Moon-seed Family. (Polypet. 

 Hypog.) Flowers usually unisexual (often dioecious). Sepals and petals 

 similar in appearance, in one or several rows, 3 or 4 in each row, 

 hypogynous, deciduous. Stamens monadelphous, or occasionally free ; 

 anthers adnate, extrorse. Carpels solitary or numerous, distinct or 

 partially coherent, unilocular; ovule solitary, curved (fig. 420). Fruit 

 a succulent 1 -seeded oblique or lunate drupe. Embryo curved or 

 peripherical; radicle superior; albumen fleshy, sometimes wanting. 

 The plants of this order are sarmentaceous or twining shrubs, with 

 alternate leaves, and very small flowers. The wood is frequently 

 arranged in wedges, and hence the order was at one time put under 

 the division called Homogens by Lindley (IT 90 and 731). The order 

 is common in the tropical parts of Asia and America. There are 

 23 known genera, including 202 species. Examples Menispermum, 

 Cissampelos, Cocculus, Lardizabala, Schizandra. 



747. The species are bitter and narcotic. Some are employed as 

 tonics, others have poisonous properties. The root of Cocculus pal- 

 matus, a plant found in the eastern part of Africa, is known as Calumba- 

 root, and is used as a pure bitter tonic in cases of dyspepsia, in the 

 form of infusion or tincture. It contains a bitter crystalhzable prin- 

 ciple called Calumbin. Cocculus indicus is the fruit of Anamirta 



