336 LIX. 



Mahogoni, which yields Mahogany, a tine wood, close in texture, of a reddish colour shaded with brown, 

 becoming- darker when exposed to the air, and much used because it is easy to work, and takes a line 

 polish. 



LIX. CHAILLETIACE^E. 1 



[SHRUBS or small TREES. LEAVES alternate, petioled, quite entire, penninerved, 

 coriaceous ; stipules petiolar or close to the axils, deciduous. INFLORESCENCE of 

 dense sometimes almost capitate corymbose cymes ; peduncles axillary, often adnate 

 to the petiole, the flowers thus appearing to be placed at the base of the leaf-blade. 

 FLOWERS small, or unisexual. SEPALS 5, free or connate, sometimes unequal, 

 coriaceous, imbricate in bud. PETALS 5, inserted on the calyx, rather longer than 

 the sepals, imbricate or open in bud, free and equal, or connate and unequal, 

 broadly clawed, often narrow, 2-fid or -lobed, with a terminal inflexed ligule, the 

 edges of which are adnate to those of the fissure of the petal. DISK various, cup- 

 shaped, entire or lobed or broken up into hypogyiious glands or 5 free scales. 

 STAMENS 5, inserted with the petals, alternate with the scales or lobes of the disk, 

 free or adnate to the gamopetalous corolla-tube ; anthers shortly oblong, dehiscing 

 longitudinally, connective usually thickened at the back. OVARY free, usually 

 depressed, globose, pubescent or villous, 2-3-celled; styles 2-3, terminal, short or 

 long, free or connate ; stigmas sub-terminal, simple or capitate ; ovules 2, geminate, 

 pendulous from the top of each cell, anatropous, raphe ventral, micropyle superior. 

 DRUPE oblong or compressed, pubescent, dry ; epicarp coriaceous, entire or dehiscing 

 and disclosing the 1-2-celled, sometimes 2-valved bony or crustaceous endocarp, 

 cells 1-seeded. SEEDS pendulous, adnate by a broad hilum to the top of the cell; 

 testa membranous ; albumen 0. EMBRYO large ; cotyledons amygdaloid ; radicle small, 



superior. 



GENERA. 



Chailletia. Stephanopodium. Tapura. 



A small order of three genera and about forty species, allied to Celastrinees and Rhanmece, but 

 differing in the disk, pendulous ovules, position of the raphe, and amygdaloid cotyledons. Miiller (Argan) 

 placed Moactirra, Roxb., which is a true Cftailletia, in Euphorbiace*?, but he was ignorant of the structure 

 of the fruit. 



Chailletiacea are natives of the tropics of Asia, Africa, and America, with one South African species. 

 Of their properties little is known ; the fruit of Ch. toxicana is said to be poisonous, and is called Ratsbane 

 by the Sierra Leone colonists. ED.] 



LX. OLACINE^E, Endl 



TREES or SHRUBS, erect, climbing or twining, rarejy suffruticose. LEAVES 

 usually alternate, exstipulate. FLOWERS g or unisexual, regular, axillary, in a 

 raceme, corymb or spike, very rarely terminal and paniculate ; peduncles jointed at 

 the base ; receptacular cup (calycode) toothed or lobed,. often accrescent when ripe. 



1 This order is omitted in the original. ED. 



