296 XLI. OXALIDEJ3. 



dehiscence longitudinal. OVARY free, 2-3-celled ; styles 3, distinct or connate ; 

 stigmas 3, capitate ; ovule solitary in the cells, pendulous from the top of the inner 

 angle, anatropous, often wanting in 1 or 2 cells. DRUPE ovoid, angular, 1 -celled and 

 1 -seeded by suppression. SEED inverted, testa coriaceous. EMBRYO straight, in 

 the axis of a cartilaginous scanty albumen ; cotyledons elliptic or linear, flat, folia- 

 ceous ; radicle short, cylindric, superior. 



PRINCIPAL GENUS. 



Erythroxylon. 



Erythro.rylece are closely related to Lineat, differing only in their always appendiculate and diploste- 

 monous petals, their drupaceous fruit and woody stem. They are near Malpighittccce in hypogynism, 

 diplostemony, connate filaments, ovary cells with one pendulous ovule, distinct styles, woody stem, and 

 stipulate leaves ; but in Malpiyhiacea: many of the stamens are often suppressed, and the petals have long 

 claws and no appendages, and the stipules are at the base of the petiole. The same affinity exists with 

 Sajrindacete, in which also the claw of the petals is glandular or velvety, and which scarcely differ save 

 in their capsular or samaroid fruit and their exalbuminous seed. Erythro.rylcts also approach Geraniacete 

 in their persistent calyx, hypogynism and diplostemonous petals, more or less distinct styles, and 

 stipulate leaves ; but in Geraniacece the carpels are nearly free, the fruit is capsular, the embryo is curved 

 and exalbuminous. 



Erythro.vylete inhabit the intertropical regions of the Old and New Worlds. The wood of several 

 species contains a red dye. The young shoots of Erythroxylon areolaftun are refreshing ; its bark is tonic, 

 and the juice of its leaves is used externally against herpetic affections. The leaves of E. Coca contain a 

 very volatile stimulating principle, producing in those who chew them an excitement of the nervous 

 system, eagerly sought by the Peruvians, and which they cannot do without when they have acquired the 

 habit. 



XLI. OXALIDE^E. 



(OXALIDE.fi, D.C. OXALIDACE^E, Lindl.) 



CALYX 5-merous, imbricate. PETALS 5, hypogynous, contorted. STAMENS double 

 the number of the petals. OVARY 5-celled. OVULES 1-seriate, pendulous, anatropous. 

 STYLES free. FRUIT a capsule, or rarely a berry. SEEDS with abundant albumen. 

 EMBRYO axile. LEAVES alternate. 



Herbaceous annual or perennial plants, stemless or caulescent, rootstcck 

 creeping, bulbous or tuberous, rarely sub-frutescent (Connaropsis) , very rarely arbo- 

 rescent (Averrhoa). LEAVES alternate, petiolate, digitate, rarely pinnate, sometimes 

 appearing simple by suppression of the lateral leaflets ; leaflets spirally coiled when 

 young, sessile or rarely petiolulate, entire, often obcordate, usually closing afc night ; 

 stipules 0. FLOWERS , regular, sometimes dimorphous, some perfect, others 

 minute, apetalous ; peduncles axillary or radical, 1 -flowered, or branched in an umbel, 

 raceme, panicle or cyme. CALYX 5-fid or -partite or -phyllous, aestivation imbricate. 

 PETALS 5, equal, inserted on the receptacle, longer than the sepals, obtuse, shortly 

 clawed, free, or shortly connate at the base, contorted in aestivation, deciduous. 

 STAMENS 10, inserted on the receptacle, connate at the base, the 5 opposite the petals 

 shortest, fertile or antherless (Averrhoa} ; filaments filiform or subulate, flattened ; 

 anthers introrse, 2-celled, ovoid or elliptic, dorsifixed, dehiscence longitudinal. 



