Atraphaxis.] LXI. POLYGONE^E. 373 



A traphaxis spinosa, Linn. (A . afghanica, Meissner, DC. Prodr. xiv. 76), is a 

 thorny shrub, with small thick ovate leaves, ^-\ in. long, perianth 4-cleft to the 

 base, the outer segments smaller, remaining unchanged, and reflexed when the 

 seed ripens, the two inner enlarged in fruit into 2 broad-ovate, reticulate 

 wings, j in. diam., closely adpressed to, but much larger than the flat nut, which 

 is enclosed by them. Dry stony hills in Afghanistan and Beluchistan, and 

 throughout Western Asia. 



One of the few trees belonging to this Order is Coccoloba uvifera, Sea-side 

 grape, common on the sea-shore of the "West Indies, introduced to Calcutta. 

 Leaves broad- cordate, fruit reddish -purple, pear-shaped, sweetish, acid, in 

 drooping racemes, consisting of the fleshy perianth, which encloses a solitary 

 seed. Wood light, used in cabinet-work. 



Order LXII. LAURINE^ffi. 



Trees or shrubs, more or less aromatic, with alternate exstipulate, rarely 

 opposite, usually entire and evergreen leaves. Perianth regular, deeply 6- 

 sometimes 4-cleft, segments equal or the outer ones smaller, imbricate in 

 bud. Stamens normally 12, biseriate, those of the inner series opposite 

 to those of the outer, and to the segments of the perianth, usually how- 

 ever half or more of the inner or outer stamens are wanting, or reduced 

 to short staminodia. Anthers adnate, cells 2 collateral or 2 pairs super- 

 posed, each cell opening by a valve. Ovary free, 1 -celled, rarely imper- 

 fectly 2-celled (adnate in Hernandia), ovules 1, rarely 2 or 3, pendulous; 

 style simple ; stigma dilated. Emit a 1 -seeded berry or drupe, often sup- 

 ported by the persistent perianth or base of perianth. Seed pendulous, 

 exalbuminous ; testa membranous ; cotyledons thick, oily, filling the seed 

 and enclosing the plumula and short superior radicle. Eoyle 111. 324. 



Flowers usually bisexual ; anthers 4-celled, those of the inner 

 stamens extrorse. 

 Berry supported by the persistent cup-shaped, truncate or 



dentate base of perianth 1. Cinnamomum. 



Berry supported by the entire 6-cleft perianth, which is in- 

 durated and somewhat enlarged . . . . .2. Phoebe. 

 Berry supported by the entire 6-cleft, not indurated, spread- 

 ing or reflexed perianth 3. Machilus. 



Flowers bisexual ; anthers 2-celled, those of the inner stamens 



lateral ; fruit large, base imperfectly 2-celled. . . 4. Beilschmiedia. 

 Flowers dioicous ; anthers 4-celled, all introrse. 



Flowers in pedunculate heads, enclosed in an involucre of 4-6 

 bracts ; flower-heads arranged in corymbs racemes or 



clusters 5. Tetrantheua. 



Flowers in sessile or subsessile clusters, enclosed (in bud) by 



deciduous imbricate bracts 6. Lits^ea. 



Flowers dioicous ; anthers 2-celled, all introrse . . .7. Daphniuium. 



Several American trees of this Order yield excellent timber. The Greenheart of 

 Demerara, Nectandra JRodiwi, Schomb., is a splendid timber, hard heavy close- 

 grained and exceedingly durable. It is not attacked by Teredo navalis. The 

 bark (Bebeeru bark) is used as a febrifuge in Guiana, and has been found to con- 

 tain an alkaloid {Beberia), which has been identified with the alkaloid in the bark 

 oiBuxus sempervirens, and in Pareira Brava (the root of Chondodendron tomen- 

 tosum, Ruiz et Pavon, not of Cissampelos Pareira, as erroneously stated on p. 10. 

 It is believed that Beberia is with Quinine an ingredient of Warburg's drops. 



