CVA 



niSTOUY OF THR VKGETABLK KINGDOM. 



of the inner angle, or two ovules attached to the 

 angle. Tlie styles, three in number, are some- 

 times united. The fruit, which is dry or fleshy, 

 is composed of three distinct carpels, or forms a 

 capsula or a nuculanium, with three, rarely with 

 two or a single cell. The capsule is usually 

 marked with very prominent membranous wings, 

 or spinous points. The nuculanium sometimes 

 contains three unilocular nucules, sometimes a 

 nucleus, with three monospennous cells. Each 

 seed is composed of a proper integument of no 

 great thickness, immediately covering a some- 

 what curved embryo. 



The genera are : malpighia, brysonima, hy- 

 ptage, gatidichaudia, banisteria, &c., M. De Can- 

 dolle. 



The properties of the malpighiaceie are little 

 known. The hairs of some species are pungent. 

 The fruit of several is eaten in the West Indies. 

 The bark of the horse-chestnut is bitter and 

 astringent. 



Erytiiroxyle^, Kunth. Trees or shrubs 

 with alternate or opposite, generally glabrous 

 leaves, furnished with axillar stipules. The 

 flowers are small, pedicellate, having a persistent 

 calyx, with five deep divisions, and a corolla of 

 five petals, which are destitute of claws, and 

 furnislied internally with a small scale. The 

 stamina, ten in number, are monadelphous. The 

 ovary is'unilocular, containing a single pendant 

 ovule, or it has three cells, of which two are 

 empty. From the ovary spring three styles, 

 which are sometimes distinct, sometimes united 

 nearly to their summit. The fruit is a mono- 

 spermous drupe, containing an angular seed, of 

 which the hard and horny endosperm contains 

 an axile and homotrope embryo. 



This little family is composed of the genus 

 erythroxylum, under the name of sethia. 



MeliacEjE, (De Candolle, cedrelete. Brown). 

 Trees or shrubs with alternate, simple or com- 

 pound leaves destitute of stipules. Flowers 

 sometimes solitary and axillar, sometimes vari- 

 ously grouped in spikes or racemes. Calyx 

 monosepalous, with four or five more or less 

 deep divisions. Corolla with four or five valvar 

 petals. Stamina generally double the number of 

 the petals, rarely of the same or a greater number. 

 They are always monadelphous, and their fila- 

 ments form a tube, which bears the anthers some- 

 times at its summit, sometimes at its inner surface. 

 The ovary is supported upon a hypogynous an- 

 nular disk. It has four or five cells, generally con- 

 taining two collateral and super-imposed ovules. 

 The style is simple, terminated by a stigma, 

 which is more or less deeply divided into four 

 or five lobes. Tlie fruit is sometimes dry, cap- 

 sular, opening by four or five septiferous valves ; 

 sometimes fleshy and drupaceous, and occasion- 

 ally unilocular through abortion. The seeds are 

 composed of an embryo, sometimes enveloped in 



a thin or fleshy endosperm, which is wanting in 

 otlicr genera. 



Til is family is divided into two niiturai 

 tribes : 



1. True Meliace.e : cells of the fruit contain- 

 ing one or two seeds without wings or endo- 

 sperm ; embryo reversed ; cotyledons flat and 

 leafy, or thick and flesliy, as : geruma, humiria, 

 turrcea, quivisia, strigilia, sandoricum, melia, 

 trichilia, guarea, &c. 



2. Ceduele^f, : cells of the fruit polyspermous> 

 seeds generally winged, furnished with a fleshy 

 endosperm, embryo erect, cotyledons leafy, as : 

 cedrela swietenia, &c. 



The bark of canella alba is aromatic and 

 tonic. The root of melia azedarach is anthel- 

 mintic. Mahogany is the wood of swietenia 

 mahogani, the bark of which, and of S. febrifiiga, 

 is tonic. The pulpy pericarp of melia azedarachta, 

 like that of the olive, yields oil. The fi-uits of 

 some Indian species are eaten. 



Sapindace^e, Jussieu. This family is com- 

 posed of large trees or siirubs, sometimes of her- 

 baceous and twining plants, bearing alternate 

 and generally iniparipinnate leaves, sometimes 

 furnished with tendrils. Tlieir calyx is composed 

 of four or five sepals, which are free, or slightly 

 united at tlie base. The corolla, whicli is some- 

 times wanting, is generally formed of four oi 

 five petals, which are sometimes naked, some- 

 times glandular near their middle, where they 

 occasionally bear a petaloid lamina. The stamina, 

 which are double the number of the petals, are 

 free, and applied upon a flat, lobed, hypogynous 

 disk, which fills all the bottom of the flower. 

 The ovary is three-celled, each cell generally 

 containing two super-imposed ovules attached 

 to its inner angle. The style is simple at the 

 base, trifid at the summit, wliich is terminated 

 by three stigmas. The fruit is a capsule, some- 

 times vesicular, with one, two, or three cells, 

 each containing a single seed. The seeds are 

 composed of a large embryo, having its radicle 

 curved over the cotyledons, and destitute of endo- 

 sperm. 



This family has been divided into three tribes : 



1. Pallini/E : petals appendiculate ; disk 

 formed of distinct glands, placed between the 

 petals and stamina ; ovary with three mono- 

 spennous cells; twining herbs or shrubs, fur- 

 nished witli tendrils, as : cardiospermum, urvillea, 

 sergania, paullinia. 



2. SapijVdace^, : petals not appendiculate, but 

 glandular or bearded, rarely naked ; disk annular, 

 or sometimes glands united together ; ovary with 

 two or three monospermous cells ; trees or 

 shrubs not twining, as : sapindus, talisia, schmi- 

 delia, euphoria, thoninia, cupania, &c. 



3. DoDON^iACE*; : petalsfurnishtd with a scale 

 at their base ; ovary with two or three cells, con- 

 taining two ovules ; pericarp vesicular or winged ; 



