390 



MALPIGHIACE.E. 



[Hypogynous Exogens- 



Arabia, India, and Ceylon 16, Indian Archipelago, China and Polynesia 14; West Indies 

 56 ; Mexico 61 ; South America 408, of which 290 come from Brazil. They are nearly 

 all tropical. 



Of the uses of the species of this Order little can be said. A large number are 

 beautiful trees or climbers with gaudy flowers ; and they seem to be generally astrin- 

 gent. Byrsonitna bark is of common employment by tanners in Brazil, under the 

 name of Murici. The wood of some kinds, especially Byrsonima verbascifolia, is bright 

 red. The fruit of the Malpighias and Byrsonimas is eaten in the West Indies ; the 

 hairs of a few are painfully pungent. The bark of Byrsonima crassifolia, or Malpighia 

 Moureila, according to Aublet, is employed in Cayenne as a febrifuge. That of 

 the Chapara Manteca, Byrsonima crassifolia, is astringent, and is used in infusion or 

 decoction taken inwardly, as an antidote to the rattlesnake bite ; it is also employed suc- 

 cessfully as a remedy for abscesses in the lungs. It is said that Alcornoco bark is the 

 produce of Byrsonima laurifolia, rhopalsefolia, and coccolobsefolia. The acid astringent 

 berries of Byrsonima spicata (Bois-tan) are prescribed in dysentery. It is said that the 

 seed of Bunchosia armeniaca, a Peruvian tree, is poisonous. 



GENERA. 



Malpighe.^, A. de J. 



Malpighia, Plum. 

 Byrsonima, Rich. 

 Burdachia, A. de J. 



Carusia, Mart. 

 Coleostachys, A.de J. 

 Lophanthera, A. de J. 

 Pterandra, A. de J. 

 Verrucularia, A. de J. 

 Galphimia, Cav. 



Thryallis, L. 

 Spachea, A. de J. 



Mcckdia, Mart. 

 Bunchosia, Rich. 



Malacmcea, Gris. 

 Echinopteris, A . dej. 



Dialla, Griseb. 

 Heladraia, A. de J. 

 Thryallis, Mart. 

 Nitraria, L. 



II. BANISTERE.E,^4.cf«^. 



Lophopterys, A.de J. 

 Brachypterys, A. de J. 

 StigmaphylJon, A.de J. 

 Ryssopterys, Blume. 

 Banisteria, L. 

 Peixotoa, A. de J. 

 Heteropterys, Kth. 

 Tricomaria, Hk. et Am. 

 Acridocarpus, Guillem. 

 Anomalopteris, G. Dn. 



III. Hireje, A.de J. 



Tristellateia, Pet. Tli. 



Zymurm. S T oronh. 

 Hiptage, Gcertn. 



Gartnera, Schreh. 



Molina, Cav. 



Succowia, Dennst. 

 Triaspis, Burch. 



Flabellaria, Cav. 

 Aspidopterys, A. de J. 

 Triopterys, L. 

 Tetrapterys, Cav. 

 Hiraea, Jacq. 



Mascagnia, Bert. 

 Diplopterys, A. de J. 

 Jubehna, A. de J. 



Dinemandra, A. de J. 

 Dinemagonum, A. de J. 



IV. GAUDICHAUDE.t, A. 



deJ. 

 Gaudichaudia, Kth. 

 Aspicarpa, Lga. 



Acosmus, Desv. 

 Camarea, St. Hit. 

 Janusia, A. de J. 

 Schwannia, Endl. 



Fimbriaria, St. HO. 



GENERA INSUFFICIEXTI.V 

 KNOWV. 



Caucanthus, Forsk. 

 Platynema, Wight: 1 . A. 

 Bembix, Lour. 



Numbers. Gen. 42. Sp. 555. 

 Position. — Aceracese. — Malpighiace^;. — Sapindaceae. 



Mr. Munby is of opinion that the Nitraria tridentata of Desfontaines, brought 

 from the desert of Soussa near Tunis, is the true Lotus tree of the ancients. It is 

 called Damouch by the Arabs, who are aware of the semi-intoxicating qualities of 

 its berry, much more likely to give rise to the fame of the Lotus than the dry and 

 unpleasant fruit of the Zizyphus lotus, or that of the Celtis australis, to each of 

 which the food of the Lotophagi has been in turn Referred. — Annals of Natural 

 History. 



This genus Nitraria has been fully described by Messi's. Jaubert and Spach, 

 (Ann. sc. User. XIII., 21), who remark, among other things, that the hilum is on the 

 side of the seed most remote from the axis. 



ADDITIONAL GENUS. 

 Blepliararidra, Grksb. near Coleostachys. 





