48 



A SYNOPSIS OF THE PLANT KINGDOM 



perhat>s most closely to the Erapetrncoiv. Some authors 

 place it neiir the Sapiiulaco;i- or Phytolaccacpie, or 

 Rutacea\ It represents an ancient group. Fossil spe- 

 cies an- known. 



Coriiirid mifrlifolia (niyrtlo-leavcd siiinach) of tlic 

 West Mediterranean reiiion, contains niuoh taiuiin and 

 is iisetl !>>■ curriers: its leaves and fruits arc poisonous. 

 The fruit of C. ruscifi>liii of New Zealand contains a 

 vinous juice, which is drunk as a beverage, but its 

 soetls !u^ poisonous. C. ruscifolia also yields a black 

 color uscii by shoemakers. 



Two sjiecies are prown for ornamental purposes in 

 e;istprn North .Vmerica. They are semi-hardy. 



121. Limnanthaceae (from the genus Liniuinilhii.'!, the 

 name sigiiilying marsh Hower). Limn.^nthis Family. 

 Herbs with alternate leaves: flowers bisexual, regular; 

 sepals 3 or .5, v;ilvate: petals ',i or 5, convolute, separate; 

 stamens twice as many as the petals, the outer opposite 

 the petals, often glandular at base; ovary superior, 3- 

 or 5-lobed, 3- or 5-celled ; ovules 1 in each cell, ascend- 

 ing, micropyle directed downward and outward; stig- 

 mas ;5 or 5: fruit dry, separating into segments. 



This is a small family of 2 genera and o species, all of 

 North America. The family was formerly united with 

 the Geraniaceae, to which the floral structure bears a 

 superficial resemblance. It is also related to the 

 AnacardiacciP and .Sapindacea". It may be said to pos- 

 sess the general floral structure and lobed ovary of the 

 Geraniacea", but the seed position of the two families 

 last named. 



Limnanthiis Douglasii, of California, is grown for 

 ornamental i)urposes. 



122. Anacardiaceae (from the genus Anacardium, the 

 name meaning lieart-like, in reference to the shape of 

 the nut). Cashew Family. Fig. .33. Trees or shrubs 

 with resinous bark, and alternate, simple or compound 

 leaves: flowers bisexual or unisexual, regular, small, 

 and numerous, epigj-nous, perigynous or hypogynous; 

 sepals 3-5; f)etals 3-5, mostly imbricated, or 0; sta- 

 mens 5 or 10, rarely many, inserted with the petals at 

 the edge or base of an annular, intra-staminal disk; 

 ovary 1-, rarely 2-6-, celled, with 1 ovule in each cell; 

 styles 1-6: fruit a drupe or nut, rarely dehiscent; seeds 

 usually exalbuminous. 



There are 58 genera and about 400 species, most 

 abundant in the tropical zone of both hemispheres, but 

 represented by the genus Rhus as far north as Europe 

 and the United States. Rhus is the largest genus, 

 containing 120 species. The family is related to the 

 Sapindacea;, but contains resin, and has an intra- 

 staminal disk. It is also related to the Burseraceaj 

 and SimarubacejE. 



The disk in some genera becomes elongated into a 

 stalk on wliich the ovary is raised. The drupe is some- 

 times edible (Mangifera). In Anacardium, the nut- 

 like fruit is situated on top of a fleshy edible receptacle. 

 Sjometimes the nut is surrounded by the edible recep- 

 tacle. In Cotinus, the pedicles become plumose and 

 the whole much-branched inflorescence breaks off, 

 and blows about, distributing the seeds. In Swin- 

 tonia, the caljTC or the corolla becomes enlarged and 

 persistent and serves as a parachute in seed-dissemi- 

 nation. Rhin Toxicodnri/lron (poison ivy) and R. Vernix 

 (poison sumach, poison elder, poison dogwood) con- 

 tain in all their parts an oily, extremely irritating 

 BuVjstance, which often produces a very painful vesic- 

 ular eruption that may last for several days. 



The Anacardiacea; is a family of considerable eco- 

 nomic importance. Because of the resinous juice, it 

 yields medicinal substances and varnishes. It also 

 yields important edible fruits. Pistacia vera of Syria 

 furnishes the pistachio nut; Fintacia Terebinlhus of the 

 Mediterranean yields Cyprus turpentine, formerly medi- 

 cinal. The h^ves of lihus Coriaria of the Mediterra- 

 nean are used for tanning fine leather. Rhu,i succedanca 

 of Japan yields vegetable wax, which coats the seed 



within the cai)sule. Mclanorrhma usilala yields a cele- 

 brated black \ arnisli of Uurniah. Mangifera indica of 

 the East Indies is the mango tree, the fruit of which 

 is large, juicy, sugary-acid and agreeable. Anacard'iian 

 occidintide of tropical America is the cashew. This 

 plant yields edible nuts and an edible receptacle. From 

 it v'inegar is made, also a peppery oil used as a condi- 

 ment; and the trunk yields a valuable acacia-hke gum. 

 The seeds of Semecarpus (marking-nut tree) give an 

 indelible bkw^k dye used in marking linen. Spondias 

 purpurea is the so-called Spanish plum of the West 

 Indies. The fruit of Spondias dutcis of the Pacific 

 Islands is also frequently eaten. Other species furnish 

 the hog plum of the West Indies. The mastic, a fra- 

 grant gum-resin of the pharmacist, is obtained from 

 Pistacia Lcniiscus of the Orient. 



I'jight to 12 genera are in cultivation in N. America, 

 but with the exception of Rhus and Cotinus, mostly in 

 the southern states, especially in southern Florida and 

 southern California. Among these are: Anacardium 

 (Cashew Tree); Cotinus (Smoke-bush); Cyrtocarpa, 

 fruit edible; Mangifera (Mango); Pistacia (Pistachio 

 Nut); Rhus (Sumach, Poison Ivy, Poison Oak, Poison 

 Elder, Poison Dogwood), 15 species; Schinus (California 

 Pepper Tree, Peruvian Mastic); Semecarpus (Marking- 

 nut Tree). 



123. C5rrillaceae (from the genus Cyrilla, named in 

 honor of Dominico Cyrillo, a professor of medicine at 

 Naples). Cyrilla Family. Fig. 33. Shrubs with 

 alternate, entire leaves: flowers bisexual, regular, small; 

 sepals 5, often enlarged in fruit, imbricated; petals 5, 

 imbricated, slightly connate at base or separate; sta- 

 mens 5 or 10, hypogynous, the inner sometimes want- 

 ing, filaments dilated; ovary superior, 2-4-celled; 

 ovules 1, rarely, 2-4 in each cell; style short; stigmas 

 2: fruit a fleshy or dry capsule, or nearly dry drupe 

 with wings; seeds albuminous. 



The 3 genera and only 5 species are all American, 

 ranging from Virginia to Brazil. The relationship of 

 the Cyrillacea; is doubtfully understood. It is probably 

 closely related to the Aquifohacea;, although some have 

 placed it with the EricaceiE. The small polypetalous 

 flowers, the few stamens, the several-celled, few-seeded 

 ovary, the dry fruit and the non-arillate seeds are 

 important characteristics. 



Cyrilla racemiflora (leatherwood, black ti-ti) of 

 the southeastern United States is occasionally culti- 

 vated for ornamental purposes. 



124. Aquifoliaceae (from Aquifolium, Tournefort's 

 name for the genus Ilex, application obscure). Hollt 

 Family. Fig. 34. Trees or shrubs, with alternate or 

 opposite, simple, often evergreen leaves: flowers bisex- 

 ual, rarely unisexual, very small, axillary, sohtary or 

 fascicled, rarely cymose; sepals 3-6, more or less con- 

 nate; petals 4-5, nearly separate, imbricated; stamens 

 4-5, alternating with the petals, and sometimes adher- 

 ing to them, hypogynous disk wanting; ovary superior, 

 3 to many-celled, each cell 1-2-ovuled; stigma subses- 

 sUe, lobed: fruit berry-like; seeds albuminous. 



Three genera are known and about 280 species, of 

 which 275 belong to the genus Ilex. These are widely 

 distributed, but rare in Europe, the center of distribution 

 being in Central and South America. Ten species are 

 found wild in the northeastern United States. The 

 Aquifoliacea; are related to the Celastracese and the 

 Anacardiacea;, from which they are distinguished by the 

 absence of the hypogynous disk and by the general 

 appearance. 



Ilex Afjiiifolium of Europe is used there for hedges 

 and for indoor decoration. /. opaca is used for indoor 

 decoration in this country. The leaves of both are 

 thick, glossy, evergreen and spiny-toothed. /. para- 

 guariensis furnishes matd, which is the tea of South 

 America. It was early cultivated by the Jesuits (1609- 

 1768), and is even yet one of the most important cuUi- 

 vated plants of South America. Other species of Hex 



