278 SYSTEMATIC BOTANY. 



ILLUSTRATIVE GENERA. 



Tribe 1. HAMAMELE^E. Dichla- \ Tribe 3. ALTINGIE^E. Calyx 

 mydeous ; ovary with 1 suspended \ often rudimentary ; ovules several in 



each loculus of the ovary. 



Liquidambar, L. 

 Bucklandia, R. Br. 

 Rhodoleia, Champ. 



ovule in each loculus. 

 Hamamelis, L. 

 Trichocladus, Pers. 



Tribe 2. FOTHERGILLEJE. Mo- 

 nochlamydeous ; ovary as in Tribe 1. 

 Fothergilla,Z./. 

 Parrotia, C. A. Mey. 



Affinities, &c. Lindley makes Liquidambar the type of a distinct Order, 

 Altiugiacere, associated with the Ainentiferous Orders ; but the relations 

 between the genera above noted appear opposed to this. The flowers may 

 be regarded as indicating an aberrant form, standing near Cornacese, from 

 which they differ in their perigynous stamens, their multiple style, alter- 

 nate exstipulate leaves, &c. They are also connected by Bruniaceoe with 

 the Umbelliferae. They approach closely to the Saxifrages, but have 

 wood-cells marked with glandular dots and a large (not small) embryo, 

 besides other points. The species are not numerous, but are widely 

 diffused. The petals of Hamamelis are circinate in aestivation. Various 

 'species of Liquidambar yieldthe pungent resin called Storax. L. styraciflua 

 (North America) is an ornamental tree, the handsome 5-fid leaves of 

 which turn red in autumn ; its resin contains much benzoic acid. Most 

 of the " liquid Storax " of commerce comes from the East, probably from 

 L. orientak in the Levant, and L. Altincjia in the Malay Islands. The 

 bark of these trees is also acrid and bitter. 



BRUNIACE^E is an Order of Heath-like shrubs, mostly found at the 

 Cape of G ood Hope, of unknown properties ; in structure apparently con- 

 necting the Hamamelidacea3 with the Umbelliferse, having an epigynous 

 disk, and the heads of flowers sometimes surrounded by involucral bracts ; 

 but the petals are valvate. They have some degree of affinity to Myrtaceae 

 also, thus bringing these into relation with the Caprifoliacese and allied 

 Orders. Genera : Brunia, L. j Staavia, Thunb. 



UMBELLIFER^ OK APIACE^. 



Coh. Umbellales, Benth. et Hook. 



Diagnosis. Herbs, generally with fistular stems, alternate ex- 

 stipulate leaves sheathing at the base, and generally deeply divided ; 

 the regular hermaphrodite flowers in umbels ; the tube of the calyx 

 completely adherent to the ovary ; the 5 petals and 5 stamens 

 springing from the disk crowning the ovary and surrounding the 

 base of the 2 styles (fig. 385) ; the fruit consisting of 2 separating, 

 seed-like, dry carpels. 



Character. 

 Thalamus concave, forming with the base of the calyx a tube 



