248 POLTPETALOUS ORDERS. 



carpels^ distinct or partially cohering. Seeds^ when ripe, often 

 hang suspended from the carpels by a long slender cord ; em- 

 hryo minute, at the base of fleshy albumen. 



a. Properties : bitter, tonic, and often aromatic. 

 Genera. — Magnolia, LiriodenJron, Illicium. 



402. ANONACEiE, the Custard-Ajpple Tribe. — T^'ees or shrubs. 

 Leaves simple, alternate, without stipules. Flowers large, 

 usually of a dull color. Sepals 3, persistent. Petals 6, in two 

 rows, with a valvate aestivation. Stamens indefinite ; filor 

 merits short. Carpels usually numerous, closely packed, some- 

 times cohering. Fruit succulent or dry. Seeds one or more ; 

 testa brittle ; emh^o minute, in the base of hard fle-shy albu- 

 men. 



a. Properties : they are generally aromatic and fragrant ; some are bitter and 

 tonic, others yield edible fruits. 



Genera. — Anona, Asimina, Porcelia. 



403. Menispekmac^^, tlie Moon-seed Tribe. — Climbing or 

 twining shrubs. Leaves alternate, without stipules. Floioers 

 small, usually racemose. Sepals and petals similar in appear- 

 ance, in one or several rows, deciduous. Stcoinens as many as 

 the petals, and opposite them, or 2-4 times as many ; anthers 

 often 4-celled. Carpels solitary or numerous, at first straight, 

 but during their growth often curved into a ring. FrvAt a 

 succulent, 1-seeded, oblique or lunate drupe, or berry. Seed 

 solitary; enibryo large, inclosed in the thin fleshy albu- 

 men. 



a. Properties : tlie roots are mostly bitter and tonic, fruit often narcotic aci* 

 acrid. 



Genera. — Menispermum, Scbizandra. 



404. BEKBEEroACEiE, the Berberry Tribe. — Herbs or sh7'uhs 

 Leaves alternate, compound, without stipules. Sepals 3-9, ir 

 one or several rows, deciduous. Petals equal in number to the 

 sepals, and in two sets or twice as many, often having an ap- 

 pendage at the base on the inside. Stamens as many as the 

 petals, and opposite them ; anthers extrorse, cells opening by 'a 

 valve. Carp>el solitary, gibbous or oblique, 1-celled. Fruit 

 baccate or capsular. Seeds sometimes with an aril ; embryo 

 minute, surrounded by fleshy or horny albumen. 



a. Properties : the fruit is edible ; the stem and bark of some species are 

 astringent, they contain oxalic acid ; the roots and herbage are sometimes poison- 

 ous. 



Genera. — Berberis, Leontice, Diphylla. 



405. Cabombace^, the Wcoter-shield Tribe. — Aquatic he7'bs. 

 Lea/ves floating, peltate. Flowers axillary, solitary. Sepals 3 



