450 SAPOTACE^E. 



10 to 23 feet, and they are 9 to 13 feet wide at the base. The leaves 

 and bark of the Holly are said to possess tonic and febrifuge-properties; 

 while its succulent fruit (berries) are emetic and purgative. Its wood is 

 white and hard, and is much esteemed in turnery, joinery, and cabinet 

 work, while its bark furnishes birdlime. Ilex Paraguayensis furnishes 

 Yerba Mate or Paraguay Tea, which is used extensively in some districts 

 of South America. The leaves of the plant yield the bitter principle 

 called Theine, which has been mentioned as existing in tea and coffee. 

 Other species of Ilex are employed in Brazil for a similar purpose. 

 The black drink of the Creek Indians is prepared from the leaves of 

 Ilex vomitoria. 



936. Order 120. Sapotacew, the Sappodilla Family. (Monopet. 

 Hypog.) Flowers hermaphrodite. Calyx regular, with 5, sometimes 

 4-8 divisions, persistent; aestivation valvate or imbricate. Corolla 

 monopetalous, hypogynous, deciduous, regular, its lobes equal to, rarely 

 twice or thrice as many as, those of the calyx. Stamens inserted on 

 the corolla, definite, distinct; fertile ones as many as, Varely more 

 than, the segments of the calyx, with which they alternate; sterile 

 ones alternating with the fertile ones, rarely wanting. Disk 0. Ovary 

 free, multilocular; ovules solitary, anatropal, ascending or pendulous; 

 style 1; stigma simple, sometimes lobed. Fruit fleshy, multilocular, 

 or by abortion unilocular. Seeds nut-like, solitary; testa bony and 

 shining, with a long scar on its inner face; embryo large, erect, white ; 

 albumen usually fleshy, sometimes 0; cotyledons in the albuminous 

 seeds, foliaceous, in the exalbuminous, fleshy; radicle straight or 

 slightly curved, pointing to the hilum. Lactescent trees or shrubs, 

 with alternate, exstipulate, entire, coriaceous leaves. They are natives 

 chiefly of the tropical parts of India, Africa, and America. The num- 

 ber of known genera noticed by Lindley is 21, species 212. 



937. Many of the plants of this order yield edible fruits, while 

 others supply oily matter. Some act as tonics, astringents, and febri- 

 fuges. Achras Sapota, and other species, furnish the Sappodilla Plum 

 and Naseberry, well-known West Indian fruits; while Achras mammosa 

 yields the fruit called Marmalade. The bark of some of the species 

 of Achras is tonic and astringent, and the seeds of several have laxa- 

 tive properties. The fruit of Chrysophyllum Cainito is the Star-apple. 

 Another species of the genus supplies the Surinam Medlar of Euro- 

 peans. Various species of Bassia yield oil. B. Parkii is said to be 

 the source of the Shea butter, and hence the tree is called the 

 Butter-tree of Park. B. butyracea, the Madhuca-tree, gives a similar 

 product, which is used as butter in Nipal. The milky juice of some 

 of the plants contains elastic matter. Isonandra Gutta is the source 

 of Gutta Percha, a kind of caoutchouc, which softens at a moderate 

 temperature, and is now extensively used for the soles of shoes, ropes, 

 straps, casts, and various articles for domestic use. 



