246 SYSTEMATIC BOTANY. 



CHAILLETIACEJE is another small Order, usually placed in this neigh- 

 bourhood, but with obscure affinities. Chailletia toxicaria has a poisonous 

 fruit, called Kat's-bane at Sierra Leone. 



RHAMNACE^. THE BUCKTHORN OEDEE. 

 Series Disciflorae ; Coh. Celastrales, JBenth. et Hook. 



Diagnosis. Shrubs or small trees with simple, alternate, stipulate, or 

 exstipulate leaves ; small and regular flowers (sometimes apetalous) ; the 

 4-5 perigynous stamens as many as the valvate sepals, and alternate with 

 them (superposed to the petals when these are present) ; disk fleshy ; ovary 

 free or inferior ; berry or pod with one seed in each cell, perispermic, 

 without an aril. Illustrative Genera : Ventilac/o ; Paliwus, Tournef. ; 

 Rhamnus, Juss. ; Hovenia, Thunb. ; Colletia ; Gouania. 



Affinities, &c. The Rhamnacese are clearly distinguished from the Celas- 

 traceae bj the position of the stamens before the petals. The calycifloral 

 condition of their stamens, the fleshy disk, and the separate petals indicate 

 great difference from the corollifloral Order Aquifoliacese, also formerly 

 associated with them. Brongniart thinks their nearest relations are to 

 the hypogynous Byttneriaceae and to Euphorbiacese. Some of the genera 

 have free, others adherent ovaries. 



Distribution. A rather large Order, the species of which are generally 

 diffused. 



Qualities and Uses. Some acrid and purgative, some with bitter tonic 

 properties, others with edible fruits. Rhamnus includes R. catharticus, 

 the Buckthorn, from the berries of which a purgative syrup is made, also 

 the colour termed Sap-green. The dyeing material called French berries 

 consists of the unripe berries of JR. infectorius, saxatilis, and amyydalinus. 

 Zizyphus has edible fruit, called Jujubes (Z. wlga/ris, Z. Jttjuba, &c.). 

 The charcoal made from the wood of jR. Frangula is used for gunpowder- 

 making under the name Dog-wood. Z. Lotus is supposed by some to be 

 the Lotus of the ancients, although others think this was Nitraria. The 

 peduncles of Hovenia dulcis enlarge into a succulent fruit, eaten in China ; 

 other genera also furnish edible berries. The leaves of Ceanothus ameri- 

 canus are consumed as New-Jersey Tea, and those of Sageretia theezans 

 are used for Tea by the poorer Chinese. 



ANACAEDIACEJE OR TEEEBINTHACE^E. 



THE SUMACH OEDEE. 

 Series Disciflorae ; Coh. Sapindales, JBenth. et Hook. 



Diagnosis. Trees or shrubs with a resinous or milky acrid juice ; dot- 

 less alternate leaves, and small, often polygamous, regular flowers ; calyx 

 small, usually with 5, sometimes 3-4 or 7 lobes, persistent; petals equal 

 in number to the lobes of the calyx, or wanting; stamens the same num- 

 ber or double or more, inserted on an annular fleshy disk, or coherent and 

 perigynous. Ovary single, or rarely of 5 or 6 carpels, superior (rarely 



