CLASSIFICATION OF ANGIOSPERMS. 615 



Most of the cacao of the market is obtained from Ecuador (the 

 Guayaquil variety being especially valued), Curasao, Mexico, 

 Trinidad, and the Philippine Islands. The seeds of the wild 

 plants contain a bitter principle, the quantity of which is found 

 to be greatly reduced in the plants when under cultivation. The 

 bitter principles in the raw product are more or less destroyed 

 by the process of fermentation to which the seeds are subjected 

 in preparing them for use, which at the same time develops the 

 aroma. 



Cola acuminata is a tree with lanceolate or obovate, acuminate, 

 entire, petiolate leaves. The flowers are purplish, unisexual, and 

 in small axillary clusters, frequently arising from the old wood; 

 the fruit consists of five follicles, each containing 4 to 8 seeds. 

 The seed is made up of two large, fleshy cotyledons. They have 

 much the same constituents as Cacao, but the proportions of these 

 differ (Fig. 337). The leaves of Waltheria glomerata are used 

 as a hemostatic in Panama like matico, as are also the leaves of 

 Pterospennum aceri folium. The inner bark of Fremontia 

 calif or nica is used for purposes similar to those of elm bark. 

 Mucilage is also found in the following genera : Pentapetes, Wal- 

 theria,, Guazuvna, Helicteres, and Sterculia. Tannin is found in 

 the bark of Guazuma uhni folia of South America. An oil is manu- 

 factured from the seeds of Sterculia fcetida of the East Indies 

 and Cochin China. The seeds of a number of species of Sterculia 

 are edible. Abroma angusta of India yields a fiber which has 

 been suggested as a substitute for silk. 



XIX. ORDER PARIETALES. 



This is a group of plants of rather wide distribution, and 

 includes perennial herbs like the violets; evergreen shrubs, such 

 as the Tea Plant ; and vines like the Passion flower. As the name 

 indicates, the plants of this order are characterized by the flowers 

 having, for the most part, ovaries with parietal placentas. 



a. FAMILY DILLENIACE^. The plants are mostly trop- 

 ical trees which yield valuable timber. The wood of a species of 

 Dillenia growing in the East Indies also contains red coloring 

 substances. The fruits of Dillenia indica contain citric acid and 

 are used like lemons. The leaves of Curatella americana contain 

 considerable silicon and are used to polish wood. Dillenia speciosa 



