474 EXOGENOUS OR DICOTYLEDONOUS PLANTS. 



coma! Albumen none. Ex. Salix (Willow, already illustrated, 

 473, Fig. 326-329), and Populus (the Poplar). Trees with light 

 and soft wood : the slender flexible shoots of several Willows are 

 employed for wicker-work. The bark is bitter and tonic ; con- 

 taining a peculiar substance (Salicine), which possesses febrifugal 

 qualities. The buds of several Poplars exude a fragrant balsamic 

 resin. 



882. Ord, Balsamifllia; (the Sweet- Gum Family) consists of a sin- 

 gle genus of three or four species (natives of Eastern India, the 

 Levant, and North America) : which are trees, with alternate pal- 

 mately-lobed leaves, and deciduous stipules ; the monoecious flow- 

 ers in rounded aments or heads, destitute of floral envelopes ; the 

 indurated capsules and scales forming a kind of strobile ; the for- 

 mer two-celled, two-beaked, opening between the beaks, several- 

 seeded : the seeds with a little albumen. It has recently been 

 referred to the order Hamamelacese (799). Ex. Liquidambar, 

 or Sweet-Gum : so called from the fragrant balsam or Storax it 

 exudes. 



883. Ord, PlatanacefE (the Plane-tree Family} consists of the sin- 

 gle genus Platanus (Plane-tree, Button-ball), with one Asiatic and 

 one or more North American species : which are fine trees, with a 

 watery juice, and alternate palmately-lobed leaves, with sheathing 

 stipules. Flowers in globose amentaceous heads ; both kinds des- 

 titute of floral envelopes. Fruit a one-seeded club-shaped little 

 nut, the base furnished with bristly hairs. Seed albuminous. 



884. Ord, Urticaceae (the Nettle Family). Trees or shrubs with 

 milky juice, or herbs with a watery juice. Leaves often stipulate. 

 Flowers monoacious, dioecious, or polygamous, sometimes collect- 

 ed in aments or fleshy heads, furnished with a regular calyx. Sta- 

 mens definite. Ovary free from the calyx, simple, with a solitary 

 ovule. Fruit an achenium or utricle, often inclosed in a fleshy or 

 baccate calyx. The order comprises the following principal divis- 

 ions : 



885. Subord, Artocarpese (the Bread-fruit Family), which are 

 trees or shrubs with a milky or yellow juice ; the flowers mostly 

 aggregated into fleshy heads, and forming a compound baccate 

 fruit, or else inclosed in a dry or succulent involucre. Albumen 

 none.- Ex. Artocarpus (the Bread-fruit), Antiaris (Upas): all 

 tropical. 



886. Subord, Morea; (the Mulberry Family) ; which are shrubs or 



