397 



which are frequently stipulate and dotted. They are natives of tropical 

 regions. There are two suborders: 1. Amyridese, with an unilocular 

 ovary. 2. Burserese, with a 2-5-celled ovary. Some look upon the 

 stamens of Amyrideae as truly hypogynous, and consider the order as 

 allied to Aurantiacese. Lindley gives 22 genera, and 45 species. 

 Examples Amyris, Boswellia, Bursera, Balsamodendron. 



845. The plants yield a fragrant balsamic and resinous juice, which, 

 in a dry state, is often used as frankincense, and is employed medici- 

 nally as a stimulant or expectorant. The resinous substance called 

 Elemi seems to be obtained from one of the plants of this order. 

 Linnasus referred it to Amyris elemifera, under which name several 

 species seem to be included. Some authors think that Idea Icicariba 

 furnishes elemi in Brazil, while Royle refers a Mexican kind to Ela- 

 phrium elemifemm; and other varieties, according to Christison, are 

 probably the produce of Canarium commune and balsamiferum. The 

 resin contains a stimulant volatile oil. Boswellia serrata, a large In- 

 dian tree, supplies the gum-resin called olibanum, or the true frankin- 

 cense of the ancients, the TCI"? of the Scriptures. It contains a vola- 

 tile oil, and has been used as a stimulant, and as a material for fumi- 

 gation. Balsamodendron (Protiumf) Myrrha, a shrub growing in 

 Abyssinia, appears to be the source of the officinal rnyrrh, the -no of 

 the Bible. It is a bitter aromatic gum-resiu, containing volatile oil, 

 and was used in ancient times as frankincense. It is a heating stimu- 

 lant, and is employed medicinally as an emmenagogue and diaphoretic, 

 as well as for arresting various mucous discharges. The resin called 

 Bdellium is prociired from various species of Balsamodendron, as B. 

 africanum and Roxburghii. The celebrated balsam called Balm of 

 Gilead, is an exudation from Balsamodendron gileadense. Tecamahac 

 is procured from ElapJirium tomentosum. Various other balsams and 

 resins are yielded by plants of this order. Amyris toxifera is said to 

 be poisonous. 



846. Order 67. Connaraccre, the Connarus Family. (Polypet. 

 Perigyn.) Flowers bisexual, rarely unisexual. Calyx 5-partite, regu- 

 lar, persistent ; aestivation imbricate or valvate. Petals 5, inserted at 

 the base of the calyx. Stamens twice as many as the petals, inserted 

 with them, and doubtfully hypogynous ; filaments united at the base. 

 Ovary consisting of one or more separate carpels, each having a ter- 

 minal style, and a dilated stigma ; ovules in pairs, collateral, ascending, 

 orthotropal. Fruit follicular, dehiscing along the ventral suture. 

 Seeds solitary or in pairs, erect, with or without albumen, sometimes 

 arillate ; embryo with a superior radicle, remote from the hilum, and 

 cotyledons, which are either fleshy or leafy. Trees or shrubs, with 

 compound, alternate, exstipulate leaves, which are not dotted. They 

 are tropical plants, some of which have febrifuge properties. Ompha- 

 lobium Lamberti is said to furnish Zebra-wood. This order, as well a 



