394 STAPHYLEACE^: 



shoots of Euonymus europceus, when charred, are used to form a parti- 

 cular kind of drawing pencil ; its fruit and inner bark are said to be 

 purgative and emetic. 



839. Order 63. Siaphyleacete, the Bladder-nut Family. (Potypet. 

 Perigyn.) (Fig. 539.) Sepals 5, united at the base, coloured, imbri- 

 cated in aestivation. Petals 5, alternate, with an imbricated aestivation. 

 Stamens 5, alternate with the petals. Disk large and urceolate. 

 Ovary 2-3-celled, superior; ovules usually ascending; styles 2-3, 

 cohering at the base. Fruit membranous or fleshy, indehiscent or 

 opening internally, often partly abortive. Seeds anatropal, roundish, 

 truncate at the liilum, with a bony testa ; albumen generally ; 

 embryo straight, with thick cotyledons and a small inferior radicle. 

 Shrubs, with opposite, pinnate leaves, having stipules and stipels 

 (T 161). By many authors they are included under the last order. 

 The plants are irregularly scattered over the globe, and are found in 

 Europe, America, and Asia. Some of them appear to be subacrid, 

 while others are bitter and astringent. The species of Staphyka receive 

 the name of Bladder-nut, on account of their inflated bladder-like 

 pericarp. They are cultivated as handsome shrubs. Three known 

 genera are enumerated, and 14 species. Example Staphylea. 



840. Order 64. Rimnmaceie, the Buckthorn Family (Potypet, 

 Perigyn.) Calyx 4-5-cleft, valvate in aestivation. Petals distinct, 

 hooded or convolute, inserted into the throat of the calyx, sometimes 

 0. Stamens definite, opposite the petals. Disk large, fleshy, flat or 

 urceolate. Ovary superior or half superior, 2-3 or 4-celled ; ovules 

 solitary, erect, anatropal. Fruit fleshy and indehiscent, or dry and 

 separating into three parts. Seeds erect ; albumen fleshy, rarely ; 

 embryo about as long as the seed, with a short inferior radicle, and 

 large flat cotyledons. Trees or shrubs, often spiny, with simple, alter- 

 nate, rarely opposite leaves, and minute stipules. They are generally 

 distributed over the globe, and are found both in temperate and tropi- 

 cal regions. There are 42 genera, and 250 species enumerated. 

 Examples Khamnus, Ceanothus, Phylica, Pomaderris. 



841. Many of the plants of the order have active cathartic proper- 

 ties. Some, however, yield edible fruit, and others are tonic and 

 febrifugal. Khamnus catharticus, common or purging Buckthorn, is a 

 European shrub, the black succulent fruits or berries of which are 

 used as a hydragogue cathartic in cases of dropsy. The greenish 

 juice becomes gradually red by the formation of acetic acid in it. It 

 may be preserved unchanged in the form of syrup. When mixed 

 with lime and evaporated to dryness, it forms the colour called sap- 

 green. The fruit of Rhamnus Frangula, Black Alder, is emetic and 

 purgative. The berries of Rhamnus infectorius, as well as those of other 

 species, are known by the name of French berries. They have been 

 used for dyeing yellow. The fruit of many species of Zizyphus is 



