200 SYSTEMATIC BOTANT. 



on account of tlieir beauty or fragrance ; some are hardy, as various Mag- 

 nolias and the Tulip-tree \Liriodendrori} from North America. Some of 

 the Chinese and Himalayan Magnolias have deciduous foliage and magni- 

 ficent flowers, such as M. Campbetti and M. Ytdan ; others are greenhouse 

 or stove shrubs, such as the species of Itticium and the more tender 

 Magnolias. 



ANONACEJE. THE CUSTARD-APPLE OEDEE. 

 Coh. Ranales, Benth. et Hook, 



Diagnosis. Trees or shrubs with naked buds and no stipules ; thalamus 

 usually prominently convex ; calyx of three sepals ; corolla of six petals 

 in two circles, usually valvate in the bud, hypogynous, sometimes co- 

 herent ; stamens with an enlarged connective, mostly indefinite, on a large 

 torus ; carpels usually numerous, separate or cohering ; seed with rumi- 

 nated perisperm. Illustrative Genera : Bocagea, St.-Hil. ; Xylopia, L. 



Affinities, &c. This Order is separated from the Magnoliaceaa in general 

 by the absence of stipules, the valvate aestivation of the corolla, and the 

 form of the anthers ; but stipules are not universal in the Magnoliacese, 

 nor is the corolla always valvate here. The most characteristic features 

 in the Anonacese are the trimerous flowers, the double corolla, the form 

 of the anthers and carpels, and the ruminated perisperm, which latter 

 indicates a relationship to the Myristicaceaa, an apetalous Order. Several 

 remarkable deviations from the general character of the Order exist, such 

 as the coherent condition of the horn-like petals in Rollhria, the definite 

 number of stamens and carpels in Bocagea (which is related to the Ber- 

 beridacese and the Menispermacese), and the concave thalamus, the sepals 

 and petals combined to form a hood, and the perigynous stamens of 

 Eupomatia laurina. Monodora has a single carpel. 



Number and Distribution. Genera about 40, species about 400 j natives 

 of the tropical regions of Asia, Africa, and America. 



Qualities and Uses. The Anonaceaa are allied to the Magnoliacere 

 by their general aromatic and fragrant properties. The dry fruits are 

 mostly aromatic and pungent, while the succulent kinds are sweet and 

 agreeable esculent fruits. The Custard-apples, Sweet-sops, and Sour- 

 sops of the West Indies, and the Peruvian Cherimoyas are the fruits of 

 species of Anona. The fruits of Xylopia aromatica are used as pepper by 

 trie African negroes (Piper tetkiopicutn). Monodora Myristica, the Cala- 

 bash Nutmeg, has qualities resembling the true Nutmeg. Lance -wood, 

 used for making shafts, bows, &c., is said by Schomburgk to be the wood 

 of Duguetia qititarensis. Some of the species of Anona, Uvaria, Xylopia, 

 &c. are sometimes cultivated in stoves in this country, forming evergreen 

 shrubs. 



MONIMIACE^E are aromatic trees or shrubs with opposite leaves 

 without stipules ; flowers axillary, diclinous ; thalamus concave, peri- 

 anth in 1 or 2 circles, tubular below ; stamens numerous, springing from 

 the tube ; ovaries several, free, and distinct, enclosed in the tube of the 

 thalamus, 1-celled, 1-seeded ; seeds pendulous j embryo minute, with thin 



