CLASSIFICATION OF ANGIOSPERMS. 



309 



tains a volatile oil, resin, a bitter principle and four alkaloids. 

 The wood of Amyris balsamifera of Guiana and Jamaica, yields 

 on distillation a volatile oil resembling Oleum Rhodii. 



h. SIMARUBACE^ OR AILANTHUS FAMILY. The 

 plants are chiefly shrubs or trees with alternate and pinnately- 

 compound leaves. The flowers are regular, dicEcious or polyg- 

 amous and in axillary racemes. The plants are natives of 

 tropical countries and are distinguished from the Rutaceae, which 

 they somewhat resemble, by the absence of oil ducts or reservoirs. 



Fig. i5g. Caffeine gold chloride; crystals formed on the addition of a solution of gold 

 chloride to a dilute aqueous solution of caffeine. 



They are widely employed 'particularly in the tropics, on account 

 of their bitter principles and are considered valuable tonics, febri- 

 fuges and remedies for dysentery. 



Picrasma cxcelsa is a small tree with 9- to 17-foliate leaves, 

 the leaflets being ovate and more or less tomentose. particularly 

 in the bud ; the flowers are yellow, polygamous and in axillary 

 panicles ; the fruit is a large, spherical drupe. The wood of the 

 plant constitutes Jamaica quassia (p. 544). 



Quassia amara is a small tree or shrub with 4- to 5-foliate 

 leaves ; the leaflets are narrow, obovate and acuminate, and the 



