640 



MANUAL OF POISONOUS PLANTS 



The oil of Myrcia is obtained from the leaves of Pimento acris of the West 

 Indies and contains eugenol and chavicol. The volatile oil of Cheken (Eugenia 

 Chequen} contains cineol, pinene, a volatile alkaloid, and a glucoside. The 

 leaves of Myrtle (Myrtus communis} yield a substance used in perfumery. 

 The Eucalypts, natives to Australia, are important timber plants, producing 

 valuable wood for interior finishing, furniture, parts of vehicles, etc. A few 

 species are extensively cultivated in California, of which Eucalyptus globulus 

 is one of the most frequently seen. The oil of eucalyptus and eucalyptol are 

 used in medicine, and have valuable antiseptic properties. The H. rostrata pro- 

 duces Kino. The family Combretaceae contains many plants rich in tannin like 

 the bark of Ternrinalia Catappa of Asia. The fruit of Myrabalons (T. Chebula) 

 is rich in tannin. The T. fagifolia of Brazil has cathartic properties. Some 

 of the plants of this family are used in arrow poisons. Several plants of the 

 family Melastomaceae produce edible fruits ; some of them like Tococa guian- 

 ensis yield a black dye. The only indigenous genus in the Northern States is 

 Rhe.via. The family Trapaceae contains the edible Chinese water-nut or water 

 chestnut (Trapa natans) naturalized in New England and New York. The 

 family Halorrhagidaceae contains several water plants of common occurrence 

 like the water milfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum}, the mare's-tail (Hlppuris vul- 

 garis) and the mermaid-weed (Proserpinaca palustris). 

 Shrubs. 



KEY TO FAMILIES OF MYRTIFLORAE 



Leaves green ; seeds pendulous . Thymelaeaceae 



Leaves silvery, scurfy ; seed erect Elaeagnaceae 



Herbs or rarely shrubs; calyx tube almost wholly adnate Onagraceae 



ELAEAGNACEAE. Oleaster Family. 



Shrubs or small trees ; leaves silvery, scurfy ; flowers perfect or dioecious : 

 calyx regular, simple, colored ; calyx tube becoming pulpy and berry-like in fruit, 

 strictly enclosing the achene; seed erect, ascending. A small order of 20 



Fig. 362. Sea Buckthorn 

 (Hippophae rhamnoides). Pro- 

 duces a berry. (After Fitch.) 



