52 



A SYNOPSIS OF THE PLANT KINGDOM 



nous intra-staminal disk present; ovary superior, 2- to 

 many-celled, rarely 1 -celled; ovules many in each cell; 

 style 1 ; stigmas 1 to several : fruit capsular or drupaceous. 



Seven genera and about 120 species are distributed 

 in the tropics of both hemispheres. Elseocarpus contains 

 60 species and Sloanea 44 species. The family is 

 closely related to the Tiliacea;, with which it is often 

 united and from which it is distinguished by anatomical 

 characteristics, and usually also by the often hairy and 

 firm, or incised, petals, or by the absence of petals. 



A vegetable ivory used in carving is obtained from 

 the large stone of the drupe of Elseocarpus sphasricus of 

 India. Those of E. tuberculatus (India ana Java) are 

 worn as amulets. The seeds of Sloanea dentata of 

 Guiana are eaten like chestnuts. The bark of Crino- 

 dendron Palagua of Chile is used for tanning. The wood 

 of Aristolelia Maqui of Chile is variously used. Its 

 leaves are medicinal and its berries are edible. 



Two genera are cultivated in North America: Aris- 

 totelia, California; Elseocarpus, not hardy. 



136. Tiliaceas (from the genus Tilia, the ancient 

 Latin name of the Linden). LINDEN or BASSWOOD 

 FAMILY. Fig. 36. Trees, shrubs, or herbs: leaves 

 mostly alternate, entire or variously lobed: flowers 

 bisexual, regular; sepals 5, rarely 3 or 4, free or con- 

 nate, usually valvate; petals as many as the sepals, 

 convolute or imbricated, or valvate, rarely wanting or 

 modified; stamens 10 or more, hypogynous, usually 

 very numerous, filaments separate, or connate only at 

 the base, or in 6-10 fascicles, some may be stami- 

 nodia; anthers 4-celled, opening by slits or pores; ovary 

 superior, 2-10-celled; ovules 1 to several in each cell; 

 style 1; stigma rayed: fruit a capsule, or indehiscent 

 and nut-like, or a drupe, rarely a berry, or separating 

 into drupelets; seeds usually albuminous. 



Most of the 35 genera and 270 species are tropical. 

 The most important extra-tropical genus is Tilia 

 (linden, basswood), which is widely distributed. 

 Fossil species are known. The Tiliacese are related to 

 the Malvaceae and Sterculiaceje, from which they are 

 distinguished by the nearly distinct stamens, and 

 4-celled anthers. The stamens are sometimes borne, 

 along with the ovary, on a long stipe-like projection of 

 the receptacle, sometimes cover the whole surface of a 

 discoid receptacle, and sometimes are enveloped by 

 the petals. 



The Tiliaceae, like the Malvaceae, are mucilaginous. 

 For this reason, many have been used more or less in 

 medicine. The genus Tilia and other arborescent genera 

 furnish very valuable timber; that of Grewia asiat'ica 

 is flexible and used for bow-making. In the tropics 

 the foliage of CorcJwrus olitarius is used as a pot-herb. 

 The fruits of species of Grewia are used in India as 

 a sherbet because of their agreeable juice. Some mem- 

 bers of the family yield cordage. The beautiful seeds of 

 many species are made into necklaces by the Indians. 



In North America 6 or more genera are in cultivation. 

 They are all warmhouse plants, or are grown in south- 

 ern California, except the Tilias (Basswood, Lime, Lin- 

 den), of which many species are grown in America. 

 The Tilias furnish some of our best-known hardy, orna- 

 mental trees. Other genera are: Entelea, Luehea, 

 Grewia (with some half-hardy species), and Sparmannia. 



137. Malvaceae (from the genus Mallow, altered 

 from the Greek, in allusion to the mucilaginous emol- 

 lient qualities). MALLOW FAMILY. Fig. 37. Herbs, 

 shrubs or trees, with alternate, simple, usually pal- 

 mately veined leaves: flowers bisexual, regular; sepals 

 5, often united, valvate, frequently bracteolate at the 

 base; petals 5, convolute, often adnate to the stamens; 

 stamens very numerous, hypogynous, the filaments 

 united into a tube (monadelphous), anthers 1-ceUed, 

 pollen spiny; ovary superior, 2 to many-celled, rarely 

 1 -celled; ovules in each cell 1 to many; styles and stig- 

 mas usually as many as the carpels: fruit a capsule or 

 separating into drupelets, very rarely fleshy. 



The Mallows include 39 genera and from 800 to 

 900 species, distributed over the whole earth, except 

 in the arctic zone, but most abundant in tropical 

 America. The Malvaceae are closely related to the 



37. MALVACEAE: 1. Malva, a. Bower; b, floral diagram; e, fruit; 

 d, cross-section fruit. 2. Hibiscus, flower. BOMBACACE^E: 3. 

 Adansonia, flower. STERCULIACEJE: 4. Theobroma, flower. DIL- 

 i.KMACE.t:: 5. Dillenia, flower. 



Sterculiacese and Tiliace. From the former they are 

 distinguished by their 1-celled anthers and rough pollen, 

 and from the latter by their monadelphous stamens as 

 well as the 1-celled anthers. The hollyhock-like flower 

 is characteristic. 



The foliage, stems, and seeds of most Malvaceae con- 

 tain abundant mucilage for which, in some countries, 

 they have been used as medicine. Pungent and poi- 

 sonous properties are apparently wanting. Althsea offici- 

 nalis (marsh mallow of Europe), Malva sylvestris and 

 M. rotundifolia, both of Europe, have been used as 

 emollients. Hibiscus Sabdariffa and H. digitalus (white 

 and red ketmies of tropical Africa) have acid juice 

 and are used in the preparation of refreshing drinks. 

 The capsule of H. (Abelmoschus) esculentus (okra or 

 gumbo) of the tropics is eaten in soup, or cooked and 

 seasoned. The seeds of H. Abelmoschus of India, now 

 widely cultivated in the tropics, are Used for perfum- 

 ery. H. Rosa-sinensis (Chinese hibiscus or shoeblack 

 plant) contains a coloring matter in the flower with 

 which the Chinese blacken shoes and eyebrows. Al- 

 thxa cannabina of southern Europe has fibers which 

 may be used in place of hemp. The fibers of Urena 

 lobata, Abutilon indicum, Sida, Hibiscus cannabinus, H. 

 tiliaceus, and others, are also used. The most useful 

 genus is Gossypium (cotton) of Egypt, India, and trop- 

 ical America, the abundant, long, woolly hairs on the 

 seeds of which furnish the cotton of commerce. Cot- 

 ton seed yields an oil which is used for fuel, cattle-food, 

 soap, artificial butter, and many other purposes. Sev- 

 eral mallows are weedy plants. 



