CLASSIFICATION OF ANGIOSPERMS. 633 



lemon-like fruit of Myrcia coriacea is used in medicine, the bark 

 in tanning, and the wood in dyeing. The fibrous bark of Eugenia 

 ligustrina is used like oakum. 



h. FAMILY COMBRETACESE. The members of this fam- 

 ily are shrubs or trees, sometimes climbing; with usually alternate, 

 petiolate, simple leaves ; sessile flowers in racemes ; somewhat 

 fleshy, winged, I -seeded fruits, and are mostly found in the 

 Tropics. 



Like the Fagaceae the plants of this family contain a tannin, 

 similar to gallotannic acid, in nearly all parts of the plant. The 

 MYROBALANS of the East Indies are the young fruits of Terminalia 

 Chebula. The pericarp contains from 5 to 45 per cent, of tannin, 

 the latter amount being found in the fruits known as Long or 

 Chebula Myrobalans. The fruits also contain ellagic and chebu- 

 linic acids. The fruits of Terminalia Bellerica constitute the Bel- 

 eric Myrobalans. The galls of Terminalia macroptera of Africa 

 and other species of Terminalia as well as of Bucida Buceras of 

 tropical America are particularly rich in tannin. A yellow coloring 

 principle is found in Terminalia Brownii of Africa and is used in 

 dyeing leather. The bark of T. Catappa of Asia and Africa is used 

 to dye leather black. 



A gum-resin with cathartic properties is obtained from Termi- 

 nalia fagifolia of Brazil. An aromatic resin is found in Ter- 

 minalia angustifolia of the East Indies. The fruits of one or 

 more of the Combretacese are said to be used in the preparation 

 of the arrow-poison of the Negritos. The seeds of Terminalia 

 Catappa and Combretum butyrosum contain about 50 per cent, 

 of fixed oil. These seeds as well as those of other species of 

 Terminalia and Quisqualis indica of Farther India and tropical 

 Africa are edible. The seeds of the latter plant when unripe are 

 said to be used like mustard. The woods of a number of the plants 

 of the Combretacese are valuable for building purposes, and some 

 of the genera furnish ornamental plants which are cultivated in 

 greenhouses. 



i. FAMILY MELASTOMATACE^:. This is a large family 

 of herbs, shrubs, and trees with opposite, 3- to 9-nerved leaves 

 and regular, perfect, often showy flowers. They are chiefly found 

 in South America and are represented in temperate regions by 



