234 SYSTEMATIC BOTANY. 



sedative or semi-intoxicating drupe of Nitraria tridentata (North Africa) 

 to have been the Lotus of the ancients. The bark of most kinds is as- 

 tringent ; the hairs of some Malpighias sting powerfully. 



ERYTHROXYLACEJE are by some authors separated from the Malpighi- 

 aceae on account of the calyx having no glands, while the petals present two 

 membranous plates, on account of their capitate stigmas, and the absence 

 of a long funiculus to the anatropous ovule. They are closely allied to 

 Linacece, with which, indeed, they are associated by Bentham and Hooker, 

 but differ in the presence of scales to the petals, their drupaceous fruit, 

 and woody stem. They are shrubs, mostly (belonging to one genus, Ery- 

 throxylon, and found most abundantly in Brazil ; but a few are scattered 

 all over the globe. They receive their name from the red colour of the 

 wood of some kinds, such as Erytliroxylon hypericifolium (Mauritius). 

 The most remarkable plant of the Order is E. Coca, the leaves of which, 

 under the name of Coca or Ipadu, are largely consumed in Peru and in 

 Equatorial America, to produce a kind of intoxication ; " Coca " is said to 

 enable the natives to go two or three days without food ; it is mixed with 

 powdered chalk and chewed. Its properties are due to a principle like 

 Iheine, which arrests the sense of fatigue and hunger. Several species 

 of Erytliroxylon are recorded, and two or three belonging to other Genera. 



MELIACELE. 



Series Disciflorse ; Coh. Geraniales, ficnth. et Hook. 



Diagnosis. Trees or shrubs with alternate or somewhat opposite, 

 simple or pinnate leaves, without stipules : flowers sometimes diclinous by 

 abortion ; calyx and corolla S-, 4-, or o-merous ; stamens twice as many, 

 coherent in a long tube or free ; anthers sessile in the orifice of the tube ; 

 hypogynous disk sometimes cup-like ; ovary free, compound, few- or 

 many-celled ; style 1 ; ovules 1-12, rarely 4 in a cell ; fruit succulent or 

 capsular, often 1 -celled by abortion ; seeds not winged ; perisperm fleshy 

 or absent. Illustrative Genera : Melia, L. ; Trichilia, L. ; Stvietenia, L. j 

 Cedrela, L. 



Affinities, &c. Nearly related to Eutnceae. It differs in the leaves, 

 which are generally not dotted, and in the staminal tube ; from Sapinda- 

 cesB in the ascending ovules, with ventral raphe. The species are nume- 

 rous, and are found in the hotter parts of the globe generally j they possess 

 bitter and astringent properties: some are powerfully purgative and 

 emetic, such as Guarea Aubletii and trichilioides, Trichilia emetica, &c. 

 Melia Azedarach, the Neem-tree, or Margosa, of the East Indies, is sup- 

 posed to have febrifugal properties ; its succulent pericarp yields an oil; 

 and a kind of toddy is obtained by tapping it. Carapa guineensis yields a 

 purgative oil, which is used also for lamps. Lamium, a genus of the East- 

 Indian archipelago, yields an edible fruit called Langsat or Lanseh and 

 Ayer-Ayer. 



The Cedreleae are distinguished from other Meliaceee chiefly by the 

 free stamens and the numerous winged seeds. Chloroxylon and Flinder- 

 sia have dotted leaves. The plants are most common' in the tropics of 

 America and India. They have fragrant, aromatic, and tonic properties, 

 and their timber is valuable. Stvietema Mahuyani is the Mahogany- 



