Swietenia. MKLIACE.E. 387 



Order XXXVII. MELIACE^. 



By a. Gkay. 



Mainly tropical trees or shrubs, with hard wood ; characterized in general by 

 dotless alternate and pinnate leaves, no stipules, paniculate inflorescence, and 

 perfect mostly 5-merous small and regular flowers. Sepals mostly imbricated and 

 petals imbricated or convolute in the bud. Stamens monadelphous, often to such 

 a degree that the anthers (^never more than double the petals) are enclosed within 

 the mouth of the tube ; anthers 2-celled, introrsely dehiscent. Ovary with mostly 

 as many cells as petals, its base surrounded by an annular or cup-shaped disk ; 

 styles and stigmas combined into one ; ovules anatropous, pendulous. Embryo 

 large. — Sparingly represented by one exotic and one barely indigenous tree. 



1. MELIA. Petals 5 or 6, narrowly spatulate, spreading. Stamen-tul)e cvlindriral, with 10- 

 12-t(i(>tlicd orifice and as many iniliidfd sessile anthers. Ovary with a jtair of superjxtsed 

 ovules in each cell. Drupe 5-6-celle<l or by abortion 1 -celled, with thiu flesii and a single 

 seed in each cell of the bony putainen ; embryo in thiu flesliy albumen. 



2. SWIETENIA. Petals 5, oval, spreading. Stamen-tube somewhat urn-shaped, 10-toothed ; 

 antliers as many, in the sinuses. Ovary .'j-celled, many-ovuled on axile placentae. Cai)sule 

 5-celled, septicidally 5-valved from the base upward; valves tliick, sometimes bilamellar ; 

 axis tliick, 5-angled ; seeds numerous, downwardly inil)ricated, above with broad wing much 

 longer than the body; embryo transverse, conferruminate with tiie flesliy albumen; radicle 

 very short. 



1. M£!LIA, L. (Greek name for the Ash-tree, transferred to this genus by 

 Linnaeus.) — Gen. no. 357. — Asiatic trees, the following species now widely 

 dispersed, 



M. AzEDARACH, L. (Pripe OF IxDiA, China-tree.) Tree 30 to 40 feet high, fast growing, 

 nearly glabrous : leaves twice pinnate ; leaflets ovate or oblong, acuminate, serrate : flowers 

 in loose panicles from uj)per axils, lilac, fragrant, produced in spring : drupes globose, half 

 inch in diameter, yellowish. — Spec. i. 384. — Planted as a shade tree and naturalized in 

 S. Atlantic States.^ (Persia to China, whence introd.) 



2. SWIET^INIA, Jacq. Mahogany. {Dr. Gerard van Swieten of 

 Leyden. in the IHth century.) — Enum. PI. Carib. 4, & Stirp. Am. 127 ; L. Gen. 

 ed. n, 209. — The principal species is 



S. Mahagoni, Jacq. (Mahogany-tree.) A noble tree, witli hard reddish brown wood, 

 very gl.alirous : leaves abruptly pinn.ate ; leaflets 6 to 12, petiolulate, oblong-ovate and un- 

 equal-sided, somewhat falcate, acuminate, entire, coriaceous: flowers greenish yellow, in 

 short axillary panicles : capsule oval, 3 inches long. — Enum. PI. Caril). 20. & Stirp. Am. 

 127 ; L. Spec. ed. 2, i. 548 (Catesb. Car. ii. t. 81) ; Cav. Di.ss. t. 209 ; Hook. Hot. Misc. i. 21, 

 t. 16, 17.2 5. Mahof]nm, Nutt. Sylv. ii. 99, t. 75; Chapm. El. 62. —Keys of S. Elorida. (W. 

 Ind., Mex., Centr. Am., &c.) 



1 Also much planted and (ace. to Coulter) "extensively naturalized in Central and Southern 

 Texas." 



2 Add lit. and syn. Sargent, Silv. i. 100, t. 43, 44. Cedrus Mnhogani, Mill. Diet. ed. 8, no. 2. 



