302 SYSTEMATIC BOTANY. 



Myrsinaceae chiefly in having aperispermic seeds, a follicular fruit, and 

 transverse dehiscence of the anthers. 



SAPOTACEvE are trees or shrubs, mostly with a milky juice ; leaves 

 alternate, simple and entire (leathery and often rusty-downy beneath) : 

 flowers small, regular and perfect, usually in axillary clusters ; calyx free 

 and persistent ; the fertile stamens commonly as many as the lobes of the 

 short hypogynous corolla, and opposite to *hem, attached to the tube 

 along with one or more rows of appendages and scales or sterile stamens ; 

 anthers extrorse ; ovary 4-12-celled, with a single anatropous ovule in 

 each cell ; seeds large, usually perispermic. Illustrative Genera : Chryso- 

 phyllum, L. ; Isonandra, Wight ; Bassia, Kon. 



Affinities, &c. Allied to Myrsinacepe, but distinguished by the placen- 

 tation, anatropal ovules, and other important characters, also to the 

 Ebenaceae, which they resemble in habit; but they have a milky juice, 

 and wood generally of a soft character ; other differences also exist in the 

 perfect flowers, such as erect ovules, simple styles, &c. 



Distribution. A considerable group. Chiefly tropical: Asia, Africa, 

 and America. 



Qualities and Uses. The plants of this Order are valuable for succu- 

 lent fruits, febrifuge bark, oleaginous secretions, and peculiar gum-resins in 

 the milky juices. Of the fruits, the Sapodilla Plum (Achrat Sapota), 

 the Marmalade (A. mammosa}, the Star-apple (Chrysophylhtm Cainito}, 

 and the Surinam Medlar (Mimusops Elengi) are the most noted. The 

 bark of various species of Achras has been used as a substitute for Cin- 

 chona. The fruits of Bassia butyracea and B. lonyifolia yield a butter- 

 like oil largely used in India ; another species in Africa is said to yield 

 the Shea or Galam butter mentioned by travellers. Isonandra Gutta is 

 the tree from which Gutta Perch a is obtained, by evaporating the milky 

 juice. The seeds of Argania Sideroxylon contain a valuable oil. 



EBE"NTACE J3 are trees or shrubs with alternate entire leaves, without 

 milky juice; flowers regular, polygamous, with the calyx free from the 

 3-12-celled ovary ; the stamens twice or four times as many as the lobes 

 of the corolla, often in pairs before them ; anthers intror.*e ; fruit a several- 

 celled berry ; ovules 1 or 2, suspended from the summit of each cell ; 

 seeds large, perispermic ; radicle superior. Illustrative Genera : Royena, 

 L. ; Diospyros, L. 



Affinities, &c. The Ebenaceae are distinguished from the Sapotacere by 

 several important characters noted under that Order ; on the other hand, 

 they approach the Aquifoliaceae in many points, but are separated by 

 their strongly coherent floral envelopes, usually numerous stamens, and 

 twin ovules, &c. To the Oleaceae they are allied by the placentation and 

 other points ; but the alternate leaves, more numerous stamens, and com- 

 monly diclinous flowers afford very marked distinctions. The Styra- 

 cacese are also very near to this Order, but frequently have an adherent 

 calyx, petals less coherent, and a simple style with a capitate stigma. 



Distribution. A considerable group, the members of which are dis- 

 tributed mostly in tropical India, but a few are scattered elsewhere. 



