242 SYSTEMATIC BOTANY. 



cardiacese, which, however, not only differ in their fruits, but their seeds 

 have no perisperm. There is a considerable affinity to the Euphorbiaceae 

 and to Fraxinus among the Oleacese, Ptelea having- even a samaroid fruit. 



Distribution. The species are not very numerous, and are generally 

 distributed, but are most abundant in America. 



Qualities and Uses. Pungent and aromatic. Xanthoxylon, a genus re- 

 presented in North and South America, as well as in India, China, &c. ; 

 eminently possesses these characters, its species being commonly called 

 Peppers in their native countries. X. Clara and fraxineum (North Ame- 

 rica) a,re powerful diaphoretics and sudorifics ; X. nitidum (China) has 

 a similar reputation; X. hyemale (Brazil), X. piperitum (China), &c. are 

 analogous. The unripe capsules of X. Rhetsa are aromatic, resembling 

 orange-peel. The fruit of Ptelea has a strong aromatic bitter taste, and 

 has been used as a substitute for hops. 



SIMARUBACE^E are trees or shrubs with alternate exstipulate leaves, 

 without dots, usually compound ; flowers diclinous or polygamous j calyx 

 and corolla 4-5-merous ; stamens 8-10, emerging from an hypogynous disk, 

 filaments usually with a scale at the back ; anthers bursting longitudi- 

 nally j ovary stipitate, 4-5-lobed ; fruit of 4-5 indehiscent drupes round 

 a common receptacle, or capsular or samaroid, with 1 pendulous aperi- 

 spermic seed in each compartment. Illustrative Genera : Quassia, L. ; 

 Simaruba, Aubl. ; Ailanthus, Desf. 



Affinities, &c. Belonging to the Rutaceous group, these plants are most 

 closely allied to the Zygophyllacese by the stamens and dotless leaves, to 

 the Ochnaceae by the deeply lobed ovary, differing from the former in 

 the structure of the fruit and the number of seeds in a cell, from the 

 latter by the absence of a large disk and the dehiscence of the stamens. 



Distribution. A small Order, the members of which inhabit South 

 America, Africa, the East Indies, and the Malay archipelago. Cneorum 

 occurs in the Mediterranean district. 



Qualities and Uses. The most striking property is gTeat bitterness, 

 whence they are used as tonics. Quassia or Bitterwood, used as a tonic, 

 as a fly-poison, and as a substitute for hops in beer, is derived from this 

 family. Quassia amara (Surinam) is stated to be the true plant ; but 

 Picrasma or Picrana excelsa yields the wood usually imported. The 

 bark of the root of Simaruba amara is used in the same manner. Jjrvcca 

 antidysenterica has similar qualities, and was formerly mistakenly supposed 

 to be the source of false Angostura bark. Simaba Cedron has a reputation 

 for curing snake-bites ; but recent experiments throw doubt on this. Ai- 

 lanthus glandulosa, the " tree of heaven," is commonly grown for ornament 

 in this country ; its leaves afford nutriment to a species of silkworm. 



OCHNACEAE are scarcely separable from Simarubaceae ; but the ovary is 

 composed of carpels seated on a large fleshy disk instead of upon a stipe, the 

 elongated anthers often open by pores, and the simple leaves are without 

 stipules. The thick gynophore of this Order affords a close connexion 

 between Rutaceae and Geraniaceae. The properties are similar to those 

 of Simarubaceae. 



is the name applied to a small group of plants belonging 

 to one genus, Coriaria, of obscure affinities, placed in this neighbourhood 



