Brucea.] simarubaceje. 61 



On low grounds and roadsides, Champion and others. Common in southern Asia, in 

 Ceylon, Tavoy, and the Indian Archipelago, extending to North Australia, and northwards 

 to the Philippines and South China. 



2. PICBASMA, Blume. 



Sepals 4 or 5, minute in the males, often becoming large in the females. 

 Petals as many, ovate. Stamens as many, inserted round the thick disk ; the 

 filaments hairy below, but without any scale. Carpels 3 to 5, raised on the 

 disk, distinct, with as many styles united upwards, and 1 ovule in each. 

 Drupes 5, or usually fewer, small, globular or ovoid. Embryo straight, in 

 fleshy albumen. — Trees or shrubs. Leaves pinnate. Flowers rather small, 

 in axillary pedunculate dichotomous cymes. 



A small genus, dispersed over tropical and subtropical Asia and S. America. 



1. P. quassioides, Benn. ; Blanch, in Bond. Journ. Bot. v. 573. A 

 shrub of about 3 or 4 ft. Leaves pinnate, with a common petiole of 6 to 8 

 in., often pubescent. Leaflets 9 to 15, oblong or ovate-oblong, acuminate, 

 1-? to 3 in. long, or rarely more, serrately toothed, glabrous or pubescent on 

 the principal veins underneath. Flowers greenish, expanding to about 3 lines 

 in diameter, in pedunculate dichotomous pubescent cymes, much shorter than 

 the leaves. Petals and stamens 5. Drupes obovoid, or nearly globular, about 

 3 lines long. 



In a ravine of Mount Parker, Wilford. On mountain sides, Wright, also Hance. In the 

 Himalaya, and probably also in N. China, for the specimens we have of P. ailanthoides 

 from thence seem scarcely distinct. 



The Ailanthus glandulosus, Desf., a common tree, planted or wild in S. China as well as 

 other parts of Asia, has not been received from Hongkong. 



Order XXXI. CELASTRACE^J. 



Sepals 4 or 5, small, united at the base, imbricate in the bud. Petals as 

 many, inserted on the margin of a thick, more or less perigynous disk. 

 Stamens as many, alternate with the petals, or 3 only, inserted on the margin 

 of or upon the disk. Ovary more or less immersed in the disk, 2- to 5 -celled, 

 with 2, or rarely 1 or more ovules in each cell, at first erect but becoming 

 sometimes at length suspended. Styles as many as cells, free or com- 

 bined into one fruit, free from the calyx, 2- to 5-celled, or rarely 1-celled, in- 

 dehiscent or opening loculicidally. Seeds usually with albumen. Embryo 

 straight. Eadicle next the hilum. — Shrubs, trees, or woody climbers. Leaves 

 alternate or opposite, simple and undivided. Flowers small, usually greenish. 



A large Order, widely distributed over the warmer and temperate regions of the globe. 



Stamens 3, inserted on the disk 1. Hippocrvtea. 



Stamens as many as petals and alternate with them. Petals, stamens, 



and ovary-cells, 4 or rarely 5. Leaves opposite . . 2. Evonymus. 



Petals and stamens 5. Ovary-cells 2 or 3. Leaves alternate ... 3. Celasteus. 



1. HIPPOCRATEA, Linn. 



Sepals and petals 5. Stamens 3, inserted on the disk. Anthers 1-celled, 

 opening transversely. Ovary-cells 3, with 2 to 6 ovules in each. Style 



