NATURAL ORDERS. 255 



and large, attached to the axis, with or without albumen ; eiifh- 

 hfyo straight, bent, or folded back. 



a. Properties : the leaves of Tea contain a peculiar extractive matter and a some- 

 what stimulant ethereal oil. 



Genera. — Gordonia, Stuartia, Thea, Camellia, Malachodendron. 



424. AuRANTiACEiE, tli6 Orcbnge Tribe. — Trees or shrubs. 

 Leaves alternate, compound, destitute of stipules, dotted. Ca- 

 lyx short, urceolate or campanulate. Petals 3-5, aestivation im- 

 bricate. Stamens as many as the petals, or some multiple of 

 their number, distinct, or combined in several parcels. Ovarry 

 free ; style cylindrical ; stigma thick. Fruit a many-celled 

 berry, with a leathery rind filled with pulp. Seeds without 

 albumen. 



a. Properties : the rind abounds in a volatile oil, and an aromatic bitter principle. 

 Genera. — Citrus, Limonia. 



425. MeliacEuE. — Trees or shrubs. Leaves alternate, usually 

 compound, without stipules. Sejpals 3-5, more or less united. 

 Petals as many as the sepals. Stamens twice as many as the 

 petals ; filamjents cohering in a long tube ; anthers sessile with- 

 in the orifice of the tiibe. Ovary several-celled ; ovules 1 or 2 

 in each cell ; styles united into one ; stigmas distinct or com- 

 bined. Fruit a drupe, berry, or capsule. Seeds 1 in each cell, 

 destitute of albumen, wingless. 



a. Properties : bitter, astringent, and tonic. 

 Genus. — Melia. 



426. Cedrelace^, the Mahogany Tribe. — Trees ^\\h. compact, 

 fragrant, and beautifully-veined w^ood. Leaves alternate, com- 

 pound, without stipules. Calyx 4 or 5 cleft. Petals 4-5, with 

 imbricated estivation. Stamens 8-10, united below into a tube, 

 or distinct and inserted into a hypogynous disk. Ovccry 4-5- 

 celled ; ovules pendulous ; style simple ; stigma peltate. Fruit 

 a capsule. Seeds winged ; albumen thin or none ; eiiibryo 

 straight, erect ; cotyledons fleshy. 



a. Projjerties : plants of this order are bitter, astringent, tonic, and have an aro- 

 matic fragrance. 

 Genus. — Swietania. 



427. BALSAMINACEJ5:, the Balsam Tribe. — Herbs with succu- 

 lent stems. Leaves simple, without stipules, opposite or alter- 

 nate. Flowers irregular, axillary. Sejpals 5, irregular, decidu- 

 ous, wdth an imbricated aestivation ; the 2 inner and upper 

 connate, colored, the lower or odd sepal spurred or saccate. 

 Petals alternate Avith the sepals, usually 4 in consequence of 

 1 being abortive ; aestivation convolute. Stamens 5, cohering 

 by an internal appendage. Ovary compound, 5-celled ; stigmas 



