358 



CUSTARD-APPLE TREE. COCCULUS TRIBE. 



cold and accidents. In other plants we meet with different 

 provisions for this purpose ; in this instance the stipules are made 

 to perform the business of protection. The different parts of the 

 plant, in all the known species of this order, contain, in greater 

 or less degree, a bitter principle, which has been successfully 

 used in medicine as a tonic, particularly in North America, 

 where this tribe most abounds ; but it is not employed in this 

 country. 



517. Allied to the Magnolia tribe is the order ANONACEJE, 

 or Custard- Apple tribe, which is confined to tropical climates ; it 



FIG. 1.32. ANONA SQUAMOSA, OR CUSTARD- APPL E : a, the flower; b, fruit; c, the 

 same in section, showing the position of the seeds ; d, seed ; e, section of the seed. 



is best distinguished by the structure of its seed, the innermost 

 coat of which forms several plaits or folds, that enter the albumen. 

 The Custard- Apple of the East and West Indies is a refreshing 

 fruit, combining an agreeable acidity with sweetness; other 

 species of the order have aromatic properties. 



518. Another tropical order, intermediate between this and 

 the one to be next mentioned, is that of MENISPERMACE^E, the 

 Cocculus tribe. These are twining shrubby plants, chiefly dis- 

 tinguished by the deficiency of parts in their flowers, which are 

 constantly unisexual (the stamens and pistils never being deve- 

 loped in the same flower), and are sometimes dioecious (. 435). 

 The number of carpels varies considerably, as does also their 

 degree of adhesion ; so that it is altogether difficult to charac- 

 terise the order, the different genera of which, however, corres- 

 pond remarkably in the medicinal characters that render it 

 chiefly interesting. The root is bitter and aromatic ; that com- 

 monly known as Columbo root is much employed in this country 



