328 



FLACOURTIACE/E. 



[Hypogynous Exogexs. 



seems to be only a remote analogy with that Order. The frequent tendency to a poly- 

 gamous structure shows their affinity to Lacistemads. 



' Almost all these plants are natives of the hottest parts of the East or West Indies, 

 and Africa. Two or three species are found at the Cape of Good Hope, and one or 

 perhaps two in New Zealand. . 



The pulp of Oncoba is sweet, and eaten in Nubia. The fruits of some of the I lacour- 

 tias are eatable and wholesome. Those of F. Ramontchi, a Madagascar species, are 

 much like black plums ; of F. sapida and sepiaria have a pleasant refreshing subacid 

 taste • and the berries of a species of Roumea, found in the jungles of Ceylon, are much 

 prized at Colombo. The young shoots and leaves of Flacourtia cataphracta, which 

 have the taste, but not the bitterness, of Rhubarb, are considered astringent and sto- 

 machic, and are prescribed, in the Circars, in cases of diarrhoea and general debility ; 

 in Bahar, a cold infusion is used in hoarseness. The infusion of F. sepiaria is consi- 

 dered useful in bites of snakes ; the bark rubbed with oil, and made into a liniment, is 

 emploved against gout on the Malabar coast.— Wight. Aphloia theiformis, a shrub 

 inhabiting the Isle of France, has an emetic bark. Lsetia apetala secretes m tropical 

 America°a balsamic resin, becoming white in contact with air, like Sandarach. 



The seeds of Bixa Orellana are angular, and covered with an orange-red waxen pulp or 

 pellicle The latter substance is the Arnotto of the shops ; it is separated from the 

 seeds by washing It is chiefly used in the preparation of chocolate ; but was reckoned 

 an antidote to the poison of the manioc or Janipha Manihot. Farmers employ it to 

 stain their cheeses, and dyers for a reddish colour. Martius says that the seeds are 

 cordial, astringent, and febrifugal. 



GENERA. 



I.— Bixese. Style simple. 

 Fruit splitting. 



Bixa, Linn. 

 Echinocarpus, Blum. 

 Trichospermum, Blum. 

 Lindackeria, Blum. 

 Xylotheca, Hochst. 

 Denhamia, Meisn. 

 Leucocarpon, A.Rich. 



II. — Prockese. Style sim- 

 ple. Fruit not split- 

 ting. 



Carpotroche, Endl. 



Mayna, Radd. 

 Oneoba, Forsk. 



Lundia, Thonn. 

 Phoberos, Lour. 



Rhinanthera, Blum. 



Limonia, (iiirtn. 



Scolopia, Schreb. 



Eriudaphus, Nees. 



Dusyantliera, Presl. 

 Ludia, Lam. 

 Laetia, LBffi. 



Thamnia, P. Br. 



Hdlwingia, Adans. 

 Prockia, P. Br. 

 Thiodia, Benin. 



Lightfootia, Swartz. 

 Aphloia, Bam. 



Neumannia, A. Rich. 

 Xylotheca, Hochst. 

 Ascra, Schott. 

 Trilix, L. 

 Zuelania,^4 if. 

 Banara, Aubl. 



Bosca, Fl. Flum. 



? Xyludenus, Desv. 

 Azara, Ruiz et Pur. 



Kuhlia, H. B. K. 



Lilcniu, Bert. 



Alnwja, Endl. 

 Pineda, Ruiz et Par. 



I'ltristannia. Presl. 



III. — Flacourteae. Styles 

 or stigmas several, 

 Fruit succulent. 



Flacourtia, Commers. 

 Stlgmarota, Lour. 

 Rham nopsis, R eichenb. 



Crcppaloprumnon , Endl. 

 Roumea, Poit. 



Koelera, AYilld. 



Bessera, Spreng. 



Limacia, Ilietr. 

 Hisingera, Hcltcn. 

 Xylosina, G. Forsl. 



Myroxylon.,3 .K .Forst. 

 Lunania, Hook. 



IV. — ErythrospermeiB. 

 Styles several. Fruit 



splitting. 



Kiggellaria, Linn. 

 Erythrospermurn, Lam. 

 ? Tachibota, Aubl. 

 Salmasia, Schreb. 



Numbers. Gen. 31. Sp. 85. 



Position. — Samvdaceie.- 



Panf/iaace. 

 -Flacourtiace.£. — LacisUmace:e. 

 Tiliacem?? 



ADDITIONAL GENERA. 



Aberia, Hochst. 



Monospora, Hochst. near Erythrospermurn. 



DovyaBs, E. Meyer. 



