A SYNOPSIS OF THE PLANT KINGDOM 



49 



have been used in various parts of the world for medi- 

 cine because of their astringent quaUties and bitter 

 principle. 



Many species of Ilex (Holly, Dahoon, Cassena, 

 Yaupon, \Vinterberry, Black Alder), and one of Nemo- 

 jxmthus (Mountain Holly) are grown as cultivated 

 plants in America, all for ornamental purposes. 



125. Celastraceae (from the genus Cckislnis, an ancient 

 Greek name). St.\ff-Tree Family. Fig. 34. Shrubs or 

 trees, often climbing: leaves alternate or rarely opposite, 

 simple, not lobed: flowers bisexual or unisexual, small 

 and greenish, regular; sepals 4-5, imbricated; petals 

 4-5, imbricated; stamens 4-5, alternate with the petals, 

 rarel3' 10; disk present, Uning the bottom of the calyx, 

 sometimes adnate to the ovary; ovary superior, 2-5- 

 celled, buried in the disk, or distinct and disk small; 

 1-2 ovules in each cell; style 1, short; stigmas 2-5-lobed: 

 fruit a drupe, or samara, or a capsule ; seeds albuminous, 

 usually with a pulpy aril. 



Thirty-eight genera and about 375 species are dis- 

 tributed in all parts of the world except the arctic zone. 

 They are especially numerous in the tropics. Euony- 

 mus, Maytenus, and Celastrus are the largest genera. 

 The Celastracese are in some respects related to the 

 Cyrillaceae, in others to the Aquifoliacese and Rhamna- 

 ceac. The small greenish flowers, the stamens alter- 

 nating with the petals, the ovary sunken in the disk, 

 and the aril are in general distinctive. There are excep- 

 tions to all these characters. 



The capsule of Celastrus and Euonymus frequentl}' 

 remains on the plant through late fall and early winter. 

 It spUts into from 3-5 valves, which become reflexed 

 and expose the aril of the seeds. The contrast in 

 color between aril and pericarp is often very striking 

 and ornamental. The Celastraceae are mostly poUinated 

 by ants and flies which run over the disk for the honey. 



The Celastracea; are of but slight economic impor- 

 tance. Some have been u.sed for their emetic and pur- 

 gative properties. Catha edulis of East Africa has been 

 long cultivated by the Arabs under the name kliat; the 

 leaves produce an agreeable excitement and it is con- 

 sidered a very valuable remedy for plague. The drupes 

 of an Elseodendron are said to be eaten in South Africa. 

 The wood of some Celastracea? is much valued for carving. 



In North America 6 or more genera of Celastracea; are 

 grown for ornamental purposes: Ela!odendron in warm- 

 houses and in southern parts; Euonymus, hardy North; 

 GjTnnosporia and Maytenus grown in southern regions; 

 Pachistima, hardy; and Celastrus, a hardy vine. 



126. Stackhousiaceae (from the genus Stackhousia, 

 named in honor of .John Stackhou.se, a British botanist). 

 Stackhousia Family. Fig. .34. Herbs with rather thick, 

 alternate leaves : flowers bLsexual, regular, in spikes, ra- 

 cemes or fascicles ; sepals 5, imbricated ; petals 5, more or 

 less, perigynous, long-clawed, the claws separate below, 

 connate above; disk thin, clothing the inside of the cup- 

 shaped receptacle; stamens 5, perigynous, alternating 

 with the petals, often unequal; ovarj' superior, 2-5- 

 lobed, 2-5-celled, each cell l-o\'uled; styles 2-5, free or 

 connate: fruit of 2-5 separate, globose, angular, reticu- 

 lated or winged, indehiscent portions which separate 

 from a central persistent column; seeds albuminous. 



This is a very small family of 2 genera and 14 species; 

 natives of .Australia and adjacent islands. It is probably 

 related to the Celastracea; more closely than to any 

 other family. 



One species of Stackhoasia is grown for ornamental 

 purposes in California. 



127. Staphyleacese (from the genus Slaphylea, de- 

 rived from the Greek meaning a cluster, probably in 

 reference to the flower-cluster). Bladdernut Family-. 

 Fig. 34. Trees or shrubs : leaves opposite or alternate, 

 pinnately compound, stipulate: flowers bisexual, regular; 

 sepals 5, imbricated; petals 5, imbricated; stamens 5, 

 alternating with the petals, inserted outside the large, 

 cup-shaped disk; ovarj' usually 3-celled; styles 3, sepa- 



rate or connate: fruit a capsule, often deeply lobed, 

 sometimes indehiscent and berry-like; seeds usually 

 many in each cell, albuminous, sometimes with an aril. 



This family contains 5 or 6 genera and about 22 

 species, in the north temperate zone, extending rarely 

 to northern South America and to the Malay region. 

 Fossil species are known. The family is closely related 

 to the Sapindacea?, in which it was formerly included, 

 and from which it is separated by the abundant endo- 

 sperm, the intra-staminal disk, the more numerous 

 seeds, the straight embryo, and various anatomical 

 difTerences. The fruits of the bladdernut are an inch 

 long, membranous and bladdery; the seeds become 

 loosened and the fruit then is interesting to children 

 as rattle-boxes. 



The family is of little economic importance. Three 

 genera are cultivated in North America for ornamental 

 purposes. These are: Euscaphis, Staphylea (Bladder- 

 nut), and Turpinia. 



128. Aceraceae (from the genus Acer, the classical 

 name of the maples, from the Celtic meaning hard). 



34. AQUIFOUACE.S:: 1. Ilex, a, flower: 6, floral diagram. Celas- 

 THACE.E: 2. Euonymus, a. flowt^r; b, floral diagram. Stackhousi- 

 ace.e: 3. Stackhousia, flower. Staphyleace.e: 4. Staphylea, a, 

 flower; b, fruit. 



Maple Faaolt. Fig. 35. Trees or shrubs: leaves oppo- 

 site, exstipulate, simple or compound: flowers mostly 

 unisexual, often bisexual ones intermixed, regular; 

 sepals 4—5, separate or somewhat connate, imbricated; 

 petals 4—5, or 0, imbricated ; disk either extra-staminal 

 or intrastaminal, usually flat, and sometimes lobed or 

 divided; stamens 4-10, mostly 8, separate, inserted at 

 the edge of the disk; ovary superior 2-celled, 2-lobed, 

 much flattened contrary to the partition; style 1; stig- 

 mas 2: fruit splitting into two portions, each a samara; 

 seeds 2 in each cell, exalbuminous. 



There are 2 genera and about 110 species; all but 

 1 belong to the genus Acer. They are mostly natives 

 of mountainous or upland countries of the northern 

 hemisphere. Some fossil species have been discovered. 

 The Aceraceae are closely related to the Sapindaccie, 

 with which they were formerly united, and from which 

 they differ in the opposite, usuaUy palmate leaves, the 

 peculiar fruit, and regular flowers. In position, the 

 disk shows a transition between the Sapindaceae and 

 other families. The family is easily recognized by the 

 opposite, exstipulate leaves, and pecuhar fruit. 



The wood of Acer saccharum (sugar maple, hard 

 maple) is of great value for timber. Bird's-eye maple 

 and curly maple are forms of this species in which the 

 growth of the cambium is irregular. The manufacture 

 of sugar from the sap of the sugar maple is an important 

 industry in the northern states in early spring. The 

 sycamore of England is ^Icer pseudoplatanus; that of 

 America is a species of Platanus. The juice of Acer 

 platnnoides (Norway maple), and probably of others,, 

 is milky. 



