340 SYSTEMATIC BOTANY. 



Eicinus commum's, in which the purgative property is found to reside in 

 the embryo, not in the perisperm ; the seeds of Hura crepitans and Curcas 

 (Jatropha] purgans, the " Purging-nut," are violent cathartics, and those 

 of Euphorbia Lathyris are sometimes employed in the same way. The 

 solid oil obtained from the seeds of Stillingia sebifera, the Tallow-tree, is 

 used for making candles in China. Cascarilla bark, with tonic properties, 

 is obtained from Croton Eleuteria (Bahamas) ; C. pseudo-quina and other 

 species have similar qualities. Oldfieldia africana is the African Teak- 

 tree. Crozophora tinctoria furnishes the dye called Turnsole ; Rottlera 

 tinctoria (East Indies) a scarlet dye. The pure starch obtained by grating 

 and washing the roots of Jatropha Manihot (Manihot utilissima) forms, 

 under the name of Mandioc or Cassava, a most important article of food 

 in South America ; the finer particles of starch, softened by heat, and 

 afterwards granulated, constitute Tapioca. The washing removes a nar- 

 cotic poisonous matter which exists in the sap : the Indians dissipate this 

 principle by heat, simply roasting the roots. It is a shrub about 8 feet 

 high, with a large root, sometimes weighing 30 Ibs., and is cultivated all 

 over the tropics, but especially in America. Numerous Crotons are grown 

 for their beautiful foliage. 



BUXACEJE constitute a very small Order, formerly included among 

 Euphorbiaceae, but differing in the absence of milky juice, in the loculi- 

 cidal capsules, ovules pendulous from the inner angle of the cells of the 

 ovary, micropyle superior and internal. The leaves of the common Box 

 (Buxus) are purgative ; the wood is specially used for engraving and for 

 turners' purposes. 



DAPHNIPHYLLACEJG are constituted Jjy Miiller (of Argau) a distinct 

 group, differing from the two preceding in their small embryo concealed 

 in perisperm, and in the ventral raphe. 



SCEPACE.ZE are a small group of East-Indian plants, allied to Euphor- 

 biaceee, but having the flowers in catkins, thus forming a transition to 

 the Cupuliferse and Betulacese. Genera : Scepa, Lindl. j Lepidostachys, 

 Wall. 



are a small Order of Cape evergreen shrubs, related to 

 Proteaceae, but having a 4-celled ovary, 4 stigmas, and a 4-celled de- 

 hiscent or indehiscent capsule. The drug called Sarcocol has been sup- 

 posed to be derived from some of these plants ; but this is doubtful. 

 Genera : Pencea, L. ; Sarcocolla, Kth. ; Geissoloma, Lindl. 



LACISTEMACE^: are a small group of shrubs belonging to the woods of 

 tropical America, with alternate, dotted, stipulate leaves, with apetalous, 

 polygamous or diclinous flowers, and a 1-celled ovary with pariecal 

 placentas. Their position is doubtful ; they have an amentaceous inflores- 

 cence, a perianth like that of Urticaceae, filaments like those of Chlor- 

 anthaeese, and an ovary like that of Samydacese or Bixaceae, with arillate 

 seeds as in the latter Order. 



EMPETKACE^E are low shrubby evergreens, with the foliage and aspect 

 of Heaths : the flowers are small, diclinous ; the perianth consists of 4-6 

 persistent hypogynous scales, the innermost sometimes petaloid ; stamens 



