SECT. II 



PHANEROGAMIA 



641 



(Fig. 669). 3. Rhodorcae. Corolla deciduous. Ca2)sule septicidal. Ehododendron. 

 Alpine Rose. There are a few European species ; many forms, especially Asiatic 

 species, are cultivated as ornamental shrubs. Ledum ■palustre is a poisonous, ever- 

 green shrub, occurring on moors in Europe ; leaves rolled round at the margins ; 

 beautiful white umbels of flowers. Corolla polypetalous, star-shaped. 



B. Ovary inferior : Vaccineac. Vaccinium myrtillus, Blaeberry, is a low, 

 deciduous, shrubby plant. V. vitis idaea. Cowberry, is evergreen, and together 

 with the preceding species is found in hilly regions. 



Official. — Ardostapkylos Uva uisi yields uvae ursi folia. 



Family 2. Pyrolaceae. — Perennial, sometimes evergreen, herbaceous plants. 

 Corolla often polypetalous. Seeds very small ; embryo composed of only a few 

 cells. Pyrola, several British species, Avith the flowers solitary or in racemes. 

 Monotropa is a saprophyte devoid of chlorophyll. M, hypopitys, Birds' Nest, occurs 



Fig. m9.—Arctostap'h.ylos Uva urn. 1, Flowering branch ; 2, flower in longitudinal section ; 3, 

 pollen-grain ; U, fruit ; 5, fruit in transverse section. (After Berg and Schmidt.) Official. 



larely in woods, has a yellowish succulent stem, bearing scale leaves below and 

 ending in a racemose inflorescence with a few flowers. 



Order 2. Diospyrinae 



Actinomorj)hic, usually pentamerous flowers with a diplostemonous androecium. 

 Antisepalous stamens frequently reduced. The Sapotaceae is a tropical family ; 

 the plants contain latex. Species of Palaquium and Fayena fi-om the Malayan 

 Archipelago are the trees from which gutta-percha is obtained. Flowers hexa- 

 raerous (Fig. 670). Balata is obtained from 3fimusops ; trees found throughout 

 the tropics. 



Ebenaoeae. — Diospyros Kaki is a Japanese fruit tree ; D. Ebenum, ebony. 



Stjrracaceae. — The origin of Benzoin (benzoinum), an official resin, from 

 Styrax Benzoin, though generally assumed, is open to doubt. 



Order 3. Primulinae 



Flower.s sympetalous, ac inomori^hic with only one whorl of 

 stamens ; the latter are antipetalous, and are adherent to the corolla. 



2 T 



