124 DE CANDOLLE'S SYSTEM. 



57. Amyridacete. Resinous trees or shrubs. Leaves 

 compound, with pellucid dots. Flowers axillary and ter- 

 minal, panicled. Calyx minute. Petals 4-5, imbricated. Sta- 

 mens definite. Ovary superior, 1-celled; stigma capitate; 

 ovules pendulous. Fruit indehiscent, glandular. Seed with- 

 out albumen ; radicle superior. 



Us ES . Fragrant resinous shrubs. Myrospermum tolui- 

 ferum yields Balsam of Tolu ; and Gum Elemi comes from 

 some species of Amyris. Balsam of Copaiva is furnished by 

 different species of Copaifera. 



TYPICAL GENERA. Amyris, Copaifera. 



58. Chrysobalanacete. Trees or shrubs. Leaves simple, 

 alternate, stipulate, with veins that run parallel with each 

 other from the midrib to the margin. Calyx 5-lobed. Petals 

 more or less irregular, either 5 or none. Stamens definite or 

 indefinite, usually irregular. Ovary superior, solitary, co- 

 hering more or less on one side with the calyx ; ovules erect. 

 Fruit, a drupe with 1 or 2 cells. Seed solitary, erect. Em- 

 bryo with no albumen. 



USES. The fruit of Chrysobalanus Icaco is the Cocoa Plum 

 of the West Indies. The general properties appear to be in- 

 nocuous. 



TYPICAL GENERA. Hirtella, Chrysobalanus. 



59. Calycanthacea. Shrubs with square stems. Leaves 

 opposite, simple, without stipules. Sepals and petals con- 

 founded, indefinite, combined in a fleshy tube. Stamens in- 

 serted in a fleshy rim. Anthers adnate, turned outwards. 

 Ovaries several, simple; ovules solitary. Nuts enclosed in 

 the fleshy tube of the calyx, 1-seeded. Albumen none ; coty- 

 ledons convolute. 



USES. The flowers are fragrant, but of no known use. 



TYPICAL GENERA. Calycanthus, Chimonanthus. 



60. Lythraceee. Herbs, rarely shrubs. Branches fre- 

 quently 4-cornered. Leaves without stipules. Flowers in 

 many cases showy. Calyx tubular. Petals inserted between 

 the lobes of the calyx, very deciduous. Stamens inserted 

 into the tube of the calyx below the petals. Ovary 2- or 

 4-celled ; style filiform ; capsule membranous, covered by the 

 calyx, usually 1-celled. Seeds numerous, without albumen. 



