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A SYNOPSIS OF THE PLANT KINGDOM 



ploo:n'e;o niui Siipotacoiv. 'Die superior spveral-ooUpd 

 ovary, uiiisoxual Howors niul ahsoiioo of milky juice 

 ar<> inijHirtaiit (listinctjvp cliarai'tors. 



The wood of niaii>' specios, (-.spocialiy of the Reims 

 Diospynis, fwrnislics the el)oiiy of euinmeree. The 

 fruit of l)iofi>!/ros LmIus is known !;s date phiiu in 

 Asia. The fruit of the persimmon {Diospyros viajin- 

 iami) is also edible. The bark of persimmon is some- 

 times useil in medicine. 



Three or 4 genera are in cultivation in North America 

 for ornjunental purpo,-;es. Maba, from Natal, and 

 Royena, from South .\frica, are not hardy. Diospyros 

 (Common Persimmon and Kaki), hardy or tender, 

 depending on the species, is grown for ornament or fruit. 



1S3. Styracaceae (from the genus .S7i/m.r, the ancient 

 GriH-k name of the storax tree). Stor.w F.amii.y. Fig. 

 48. Shrubs or small trees: leaves alternate, simple: flow- 

 ers bisexual, regular; calyx 4-.5-cleft ; corolla mostly 4-.5- 

 lobed, the lobes almost separate, imbricated or valvatc; 

 stamens in one series, h.\pogynous or epipetalous, 

 twice as many as the lobes of the corolla, rarely just as 

 many, separate or more or less united; ovary superior, 

 rarely half-inferior, 1-celled at the top, 3-5-colled at 

 the bottom; 1, rarely several, ovules in each cell; style 

 1; stigmas l-o: fruit a capsular drupe. 



Six genera and about 100 species arc distributed in the 

 warmer regions of South and Central America, south- 

 eastern rnite<i States, eastern Asia, and the Mediter- 

 ranean region. The family is very closely related to the 

 Symplocacesp; also to the Ebenaceoe and Sapotacea;. 

 The superior, imperfectly several-celled ovary, bisexual 

 flowers and absence of milky juice are distinctive. 

 Fossil species are known. 



Styrax lienzoin of the East Indies yields the fragrant 

 resin known as benzoin. It is a pathological product 

 of the tree. Some Brazihan species of Styrax and some 

 species of Pajnphilia also yield a fragrant resin which 

 is burned as incense in the churches. The storax of 

 the ancients was obtained from Liquidamhar orientalis 

 (family Hamamelidacese). 



Two or 3 genera are in cultivation in America: 

 Halesia (Silver Bell, Snowdrop Tree), of eastern United 

 States, is hardy; Styrax (Storax) of China, Japan, and 

 America, is semi-hardy. PterostjTax of Japan is by 

 some referred to Halesia. 



184. Symplocaceae (from the genus Symplocos, de- 

 rived from the Greek, meaning connected, referring to 

 the stamens). Sympi/jcos Family. Fig. 48. Trees or 

 shrubs: leaves alternate, simple: flowers bisexual, or less 

 commonly unisexual, regular; calyx .5-lobed, gamosepa- 

 lous, imbricated; corolla-lobes 5 or 10, in 1 or 2 series, 

 gamopetalous, imbricated; stamens 1.5 to many in 1-3 

 or many series, separate, or slightly united with each 

 other and the corolla, hypogynous or epipetalous; 

 ovary inferior or half-inferior, 2-.i-celled, with about 

 2 ovules in each cell; style 1; stigmas 1-.5: fruit dru- 

 paceous. 



Only one genus and about 27.5 species are found in 

 tropical lands; they are most abundant in the Malay 

 region and East India. A few species in Japan, and 

 one in North America, extend the family into the 

 temperate zone. Symplocos Hru:lorin reaches Delaware. 

 The family is related to the Styracacea>, and is often 

 united with it. The inferior, completely several-celled 

 ovary, and numerous stamens, are important charac- 

 teristics. Fo.ssil species are known. 



The bark of Symplocon racemosa is used as a medicine 

 in the East Indies under the name lotus bark. The 

 leaves of iS'. ajncnla and the roots of S. Hncloria are 

 used in the preparation of yellow dye-stuffs. .S'. crnls- 

 goidet is a hardy ornamental shrub from Japan. 



Order 49. ContortvE 



18.5. Oleaceae ("from the genus Oka, derived from 

 the Greek meaning, originally, olive tree, and later oil. 



i. e., olive oil). Oi.ivE Family. Fig. 49. Trees or 

 shrubs: leaves opposite, simple or pinnate: flowers bi- 

 sexual or unisexual, regular, small and numerous; calyx 

 4-lol)eil, rarely 4-1.5-lobed, valvate; corolla 4-lobed, 

 rarely ti r2-k)l)ed, gamopetalous, rarely i)olypetalous, 

 or 0, hypogynous, valvate; stamens 2, rarely 3-5, 

 epipetalous, alternate with the corolla-lobes; ovary 

 superior, 2-celled; ovules usually 2 in each cell; style 1 

 or 0; stigmas 1-2: fruit a drupe, berry, capsule, or 

 saJiiara. 



Oleacca; has 20 genera and more than 400 species, ' 

 of temperate and tropical lands; these are especially 

 abundant in the East Indies and East .'Vsia. About 10 

 species are native in northeastern North America. 

 Fossil siiecies are known. The family is related to the 

 Loganiacea?; possibly also to the Celastracese and 



49. Oleace.e: 1. Olea, a, flower; b, floral diagram. 2. Fraxi- 

 nii.'^, fruit. Loganiace.k: 3. Lugania, flower. Gentianace.e; 4. 

 Gentiana, a, flower: b, floral diagram. Apocynace.e; 5. Apocy- 

 num, a, flowep; b, floral diagram; c, fruit. 6. Vinca, pistil. 



Rubiacea;. The numerical plan of 4, the 2 stamens and 

 the superior ovary are important distinctive character- 

 istics. 



The most useful plant is the olive (Olea europsea) 

 of the Orient, long cultivated in the Alediterranean 

 region. The oil expressed from the fruit is used as food, 

 and for other purposes. The unripe fruits, preserved 

 in brine, are the olives of commerce. The bark of the 

 fringe tree and privet contains medicinal principles of 

 minor importance, as do al.so the leaves of the lilac. 

 A saccharine exudation from the bark of Fraxinus 

 Ornvs of Sicily, induced by the puncture of a cicada, 

 is manna (See, also, Tamnrix mannifera) . The wood of 

 olive and ash are valuable. The flowers of Osinanthus 

 fragrans have been used to scent tea in China. 



A dozen genera are in cultivation in North America: 

 Chionanthus (Fringe Tree), hardy; Forsythia (Golden 

 Bell), hardy; Fontanesia, hardy; Fraxinus (Ash), hardy; 

 Jasminum (Jasmine, Jessamine), of the greenhouse and 

 the South; Ligustrum (Privet), hardy; Olea (Olive), 



