464 MANUAL OF NATURAL HISTORY. 



embryo curved. Occur in Europe, temperate 

 parts of Asia, and North America. Among 

 the species are the Sugar-Maple, and the 

 Sycamore, or Great-Maple. 



4. FAMILY. Guinea-hen Weeds (Petiveriacese). 



Under-shrubsor herbs ; odour often alliaceous ; 

 leaves alternate, stipulate, often dotted ; 

 flowers racemose or panicled, apetalous ; pe- 

 rianth of several distinct leaves ; stamens 

 often indefinite ; ovary 1 -celled; ovule erect; 

 style one; stigma lateral; fruit 1 -celled, inde- 

 hiscent, wingless or winged ; embryo usually 

 straight. Natives of tropical America or 

 the West Indies. 



5. FAMILY. Soap-Worts (Sapindacese). Trees, 



twining shrubs, or rarely herbs ; leaves alter- 

 nate, exstipulate, often dotted ; flowers in 

 racemes or racemose panicles, small, mostly 

 white or pink; calyx 4-5-partite, or 4-5- 

 leaved ; petals 4-5, naked, or with an appen- 

 dage inside ; stamens 8-10, sometimes 5-6-7, 

 rarely 20; disk fleshy; ovary 3-celled; ovules 

 anatropal ; style undivided, or 2-3-cleffc ; 

 fruit capsular, and 2-3-valved, or samaroid, 

 or fleshy and indehi scent ; seeds usually 

 arillate; embryo curved or twisted. Tropi- 

 cal species ; chiefly found in India and South 

 America. Contain many poisonous plants, 

 but yield some edible fruits. Among the 

 products are Soap-berries, Horse-chesnuts, 

 Guarana, &c. 



