346 LXV. STACKHOUSIE^J. 



These two families are. scarcely separated from Staphyleaceee except by the diplostemonous corolla and 

 curved embryo ; and they are united in the ' Genera Plantarum ' as tribes of Sapindaccee. It is the same 

 in Hippocnstanece (see this family). 



The few species of this little family are scattered over temperate Europe, North America, the Antilles, 

 Mexico, Japan, and tropical Asia. Their useful properties are little known. The root of a Japan shrub 

 (Emcaphis) is employed as nn astringent in dysentery. [The seeds of Slaphyka are oily, austere, and 

 slightly purgative. ED.] 



LXV. STACKHOUSfE^E. 1 



[Small HEEBS with watery juice, usually woody, simple or branched, rootstocks 

 giving off many erect simple or sparingly divided slender leafy branches., LEAVES 

 scattered, alternate, rather fleshy or coriaceous, linear or spathulate, quite entire ; 

 stipules or very minute. FLOWERS 5 , regular, in terminal spikes or racemes at the 

 ends of the branches, or fascicled, 3-bracteate, white or yellow. CALYX small, 

 hemispheric, 5-lobed or -partite, lobes rather unequal, imbricate in bud. PETALS 5, 

 perigynous, inserted on the throat of the calyx, linear or spathulate ; claws long, free 

 or connate ; limb reflexed, imbricate in bud. .DISK thin, clothing the base of the 

 calyx-tube. STAMENS 5, inserted on the edge of the disk, erect, included; filaments 

 slender, the alternate shorter ; anthers oblong, dehiscing longitudinally ; pollen 

 obscurely 4-lobed, rough. OVARY sessile, free, sub-globose, 2-5-lobed or -partite, 

 2-5-celled ; styles 2-5, free or connate ; stigma 5-lobed or stigmas 5, capitate ; ovule 

 solitary in each cell, erect from its base, anatropous, raphe ventral. FRUIT of 2-5 

 globose or angular sinoolh or reticulate or winged indehiscent 1-seeded cocci, 

 which separate from a central persistent column. SEED erect; testa membranous; 

 albumen fleshy. EMBRYO axile, straight, as long as the albumen ; cotyledons short, 



obtuse ; radicle inferior. 



ONLY GENUS. 



Stackhousia. 



A small and geographically limited order, embracing some twenty species, common in extra-tropical 

 Australia, with a solitary representative in New Zealand, and another that wanders north to the Philippine 

 Islands. It appears to agree most nearly with Cclastrhieee in technical characters, but its affinities are 

 quite unknown. In the disk and fruit it approaches Rhamnea. Robert Brown indicated an affinity with 

 Euphorbiacece, but on what grounds is not stated, nor have these been apparent to succeeding botanists. 

 Nothing is known of its uses. ED.] 



LXVI. RHAMNEsE. 



(RHAMNORUM genera, Jussieu. RHAMNEJD, Br. FRANGULACE^E, D.C. RHAMNACE^E, 



Lindl.) 



COROLLA polypetalous, perigynous, isostemonous, (estivation valvate. PETALS 4-5, 

 inserted on a perigynous disk, lining the calyx, and sometimes the ovary also. STAMENS 

 4-5, opposite to and inserted with the petals. OVARY free, or adnate to the disk, of 



. ' Thii order is omitted in 



