604 A TEXT-BOOK OF BOTANY. 



and South Sea Islands, and the kernels of the seeds of the two 

 species of Magonia indigenous to Brazil. The latter plants also 

 yield a poisonous nectar and the root-bark is used in the poison- 

 ing of fish. A shellac is obtained from Schleichera trijuga of 

 India and the seeds of this plant yield " marcassa oil." 



Paullinia Cupana is a woody climber indigenous to and culti- 

 vated in Northern and Western Brazil. The leaves are alternate 

 and 5~foliate, the leaflets being oblong, acuminate, coarsely, irreg- 

 ularly dentate, and with short stalks ; the flowers are yellow and 

 in axillary panicles ; the fruit is a 3-locular, 3-seeded sub-drupose 

 capsule (Fig. 332). 



i. BALSAMINACE^E OR JEWEL-WEED FAMILY. 

 The plants are succulent herbs with alternate, petiolate leaves and 

 conspicuous axillary flowers ; the fruit is a capsule which at 

 maturity breaks into five valves, discharging the seeds with con- 

 siderable force. 



The balsam of the gardens (Impatiens Balsamina), which 

 flowers all summer, belongs to this family. Other species of 

 Impatiens are also cultivated. 



The stem sap as well as that of the flowers of a number of 

 species of Impatiens is used on account of its red and yellow 

 coloring matters, to color the skin of the hands and feet as also, the 

 nails by the people of India, Tartary and Japan. The seeds of 

 some species of Impatiens yield an oil which is used for burning. 



XVIII. ORDER RHAMNALES. 



This order includes two large families which are characterized 

 by having 4 or 5 stamens which are either alternate with the sepals 

 or opposite the petals when the latter are present. The ovules 

 are atropous. 



a. RHAMNACE^E OR BUCKTHORN FAMILY. The 

 plants are woody climbers, shrubs or small trees. 



Rhamnus Purshianus is a large shrub or small tree. The leaves 

 are petiolate, oblong, elliptical, acuminate, finely serrate and pubes- 

 cent beneath ; the flowers are small and in axillary umbellate 

 cymes, and the fruit is 3-lobed, black, ovoid, and drupaceous. 

 The bark constitutes the official Cascara sagrada (Fig. 333). 



Rhamnus Frangula or Alder Buckthorn is a shrub the botan- 



