52 



A SYNOPSIS OF THE PLANT KINGDOM 



nous intra-stmiiinal ilisk prosoiit; ovary su|)orior, 2- to 

 many-i-olli\l. rarely l-rclli'd: ovules many in each cdl; 

 style l;stiginas Ito several: fruit capsular or drapaoeous. 



Seven penen» and about 121) species arc distrihutcd 

 in the tropics of both lieniisphcrcs. EUeocarpus contains 

 60 species and Sloanea 44 species. The family is 

 closely related to the Tiliace;e, with which it is often 

 uniteti and from which it is distin);uished by anatomical 

 characteristics, and usually also by the often hairy and 

 firm, or incised, petals, or by the absence of petals. 



.\ vegetable i\ory used in carving is obtained from 

 the large stone of the drupe of Ehocarpus sphariciis of 

 India. Those of E. tuberciilntus (India and J.ava) are 

 worn as amulets. The seeds of Sloanea dentata of 

 Guiana are eaten like chestnuts. The bark of Criiio- 

 dendron Palagua of Chile is used for tanning. The wood 

 of ATislotrtin ^[aqui of Chile is variously used. Its 

 leaves are medicinal and its berries are edible. 



Two genera are cultivated in North America: Aris- 

 totelia, California; EUeocarpus, not hardy. 



130. Tiliacese (from the genus Tilia, the ancient 

 Latin name of the Linden). Lip«)en or Basswood 

 Family. Fig. 36. Trees, shrubs, or herbs: leaves 

 mostly alternate, entire or variouslj- lobed: flowers 

 bisexual, regular; sepals .5, rarely 3 or 4, free or con- 

 nate, usually valvate; petals as many as the sepals, 

 convolute or imbricatwl, or valvate, rarely wanting or 

 modified; stamens 10 or more, hypogynous, usually 

 \'erv nimierous, filaments separate, or connate only at 

 the base, or in 5-10 fascicles, some may be stami- 

 nodia; anthers 4-celled, opening by sUts or pores; ovary 

 superior, 2-10-celled; ovules 1 to several in each cell; 

 style 1; stigma rayed: fruit a capsule, or indehiscent 

 and nut-Uke, or a drupe, rarely a berry, or separating 

 into drupelets; seeds usually albuminous. 



Most of the 3.5 genera and 270 species are tropical. 

 The most important extra-tropical genus is Tilia 

 (linden, basswood), which is widely distributed. 

 Fossil species are known. The Tiliaceoe are related to 

 the Malvacea; and Sterculiacea;, from which they are 

 distinguished by the nearly distinct stamens, and 

 4-celled anthers. The stamens are sometimes borne, 

 along with the ovarj', on a long stipe-like projection of 

 the receptacle, sometimes cover the whole surface of a 

 discoid receptacle, and sometimes are enveloped by 

 the petals. 



The Tiliacea;, like the Malvaceae, are mucilaginous. 

 For this reason, many have been used more or less in 

 medicine. The genus Tilia and other arbor&scent genera 

 furnish very valuable timber; that of Gruwia asiatica 

 is flexible and used for bow-making. In the tropics ' 

 the foliage of Corchorus otilorius is u.scd a.s a pot-herb. 

 The fruits of .species of Grewia arc used in India as 

 a sherbet because of their agreeable juice. .Some mem- 

 bers of the family yield cordage. The beautiful seeds of 

 many species are made into necklaces by the Indians. 



In North America or more genera are in cultivation. 

 They are all warmhouse plants, or are grown in south- 

 em California, except the Tilias (H;isswood, Lime, Lin- 

 den), of which many species are grown in America. 

 TIic Tilias furnish some of our best-kno\vn hardy, orna- 

 mental trees. Other genera are: Entelea, Luehea, 

 Grewia (with some half-hardy species), and Sparmannia. 



137. Malvaceae (from the genus MaUou\ altered 

 from the Greek, in alliLsion to the mucilaginous emol- 

 hent f|ualitiesj. Mallow^ Family. Fig. 37. Herbs, 

 shrubs or trees, with alternate, simple, usually pal- 

 mately veined lcav(«: flowers bisexual, regular; .sepals 

 .5, often united, valvate, fr(^(|uently bracteolate at the 

 ba.se; petals o, convolute, often adnate to the stamens; 

 stamens very numeroas, hypogynous, the filaments 

 united into a tube (monadelphousj, anthers 1-eelled, 

 pfjllen spiny; ovary superior, 2 to many-celled, rarely 

 l-<:elled; ovules in each cell 1 to many; styles and stig- 

 niae usually as many as the carpels: fruit a capsule or 

 separating into drupelets, very rarely fleshy. 



The Mallows include 39 genera and from SCO to 

 900 .species, distributed over the whole earth, except 

 in the arctic zone, but most abundant in tropical 

 .'Vmerica. The Malvacex are clo.sely related to the 



37. Malvace.e: 1. Malva, a, flower; b, floral diagram: c, fniit; 

 d, cross-section fruit. 2. Hibiscus, flower. Bombac.\ce.e: 3. 

 Adansonia, flower. Stehculiace.e: 4. Theobroma, flower. DlL- 

 LENIACE.E; 5. Dilleoia, flower. 



Sterculiaceae and Tiliaceae. From the former they are 

 distinguished by their 1-celled anthers and rough pollen, 

 and from the latter by their monadelphous stamens as 

 well as the 1 -celled anthers. The holly hock-hke flower 

 is characteristic. 



The foUage, stems, and seeds of most Malvaceae con- 

 tain abundant mucilage for which, in some countries, 

 they have been used as medicine. Pungent and poi- 

 sonous properties are apparently wanting. Allhsea offici- 

 nalis (marsh maUow of Europe), Malva sylvestris and 

 M. rolundifolia, both of Europe, have been used as 

 emoUients. Hibiscus Sabdariffn and H . digitatus (white 

 and red ketmies of tropical Africa) have acid juice 

 and are used in the preparation of refreshing drinks. 

 The capsule of //. (Ahclmoschus) esculerdus (okra or 

 gumbo) of the tropics is eaten in soup, or cooked and 

 se!i.soned. The seeds of H. Ahelmoschus of India, now 

 widely cultivated in the tropics, are used for perfum- 

 ery. //. Rosa-si?iensis (Chinese hibiscus or shoeblack 

 plant) contains a coloring matter in the flower with 

 which the Chinese blacken shoes and eyebrows. Al- 

 thsRU cannnhina of southern Europe has fibers which 

 may be used in place of hemp. The fibers of Urenn 

 lobala, Abulilon indicum, Sida, Hibiscus cannabinus, H. 

 liliaceus, and others, are also used. The most useful 

 genus is Goissypium (cotton) of Egypt, India, and trop- 

 ical America, the abundant, long, woolly hairs on the 

 seeds of which furnish the cotton of commerce. Cot- 

 ton seed yields an oil which is used for fuel, cattle-food, 

 soap, artificial butter, and many other purposes. Sev- 

 eral mallows are weedy plants. 



