336 SYSTEMATIC BOTANY. 



called the Lace-bark tree, and the liber of some Daphnes furnishes useful 

 fibres, and in other cases is manufactured into paper. The berries of 

 Daphne are poisonous ; but the seeds of Inocarpm edulis are eaten roasted 

 like chestnuts. Daphne, Pimelea, and some other genera include many 

 handsome cultivated plants, the perianth being petaloid. 



AQTJILARIACEJE are a small group of plants, of tropical Asia, included 

 by some in Thymelaceae, but having a 2-celled ovary, or, if 1-celled, then 

 with 2-3 1-ovuled parietal placentas, and sometimes a 2-valved dehiscent 

 capsule ; one ovule is sometimes abortive ; and the fruit in some cases is 

 an indehiscent succulent berry. The heart-wood of Aquilaria ovata and 

 A. Af/allochum is known as Eagle-wood or Aloes-wood, and contains a 

 resinous matter of stimulant quality. Genera : Aquilaria, Lam. ; Gyri- 

 nopsis, Grertn. 



EL M AGNACE^E are shrubs or small trees with silvery-scurfy leaves 

 and dioecious or polygamous flowers ; perianth free from the ovary, its 

 tube becoming hard or pulpy, and berry-like in the fruit ; stamens as 

 numerous Its the lobes of the perianth, and alternate with them, or twice 

 as many ; ovary 1-celled, 1-seeded, seed ascending ; embryo straight, 

 with thin perisperm and an inferior radicle. The species are generally 

 diffused in the northern hemisphere, separated from the Thyrnelacese by 

 the ordinarily dioecious structure and the ascending ovule ; Elceaynus, 

 which has perfect or polygamous flowers, forms the link. From Prote- 

 aceae they are separated by the valvate calyx and the indehiscent fruit. 

 The pollen is triangular or ovoid (Mohl). The scurfy scales upon the 

 leaves are elegant microscopic objects. The berries of Hippophae rham- 

 noides, Sea Buckthorn, common on our sea-coast, are sometimes used in 

 fish-sauces, but are said to have narcotic properties. Those of Elceagnm 

 orient alls are eaten in Persia, and those of other species in India. The 

 flowers of some species are very fragrant. Traces of plants of this Order 

 have been seen in Miocene and more recent deposits. 



PEOTEACE^. 



Coh. Laurales, Benth. et Hook. 



Diagnosis. Shrubs or small trees usually with umbellate 

 branches ; leaves hard, dry, opposite or alternate, exstipulate ; 

 flowers usually bisexual, apetalous ; perianth 4-cleft, valvate : 

 stamens 4, superposed to the segments, sometimes partially barren ; 

 anthers opening longitudinally ; ovary single, simple, free, with 1 

 ovule, or 2 or more ovules in 2 rows, ascending or descending ; 

 seeds without perisperm ; embryo straight ; radicle generally in- 

 ferior. Illustrative Genera : Protect, L. ; Grevillea, B. Br. ; Hakea, 

 Schrad. ; Banksia, L. fil. 



Affinities, &c. The Order is divided into two tribes according as the 

 fruit is dehiscent or indehisceut. In Bellendena the stamens are free. In 



