508 CXXX. URTICACE^E. 



LiaUIDAMBAR. 

 Lat. liquidam, fluid, ambar; a resin resembling ambar flows from the trees. 



Character of the genus the same as that of the order. 



L. STYRACIFLUA. Sweet Gum. 



Lvs. palmate, with acuminate, serrate lobes ; veins villous at their bases. 

 The sweet gum or gum-tree is thinly disseminated throughout the U. S. 

 With a diameter of 5f it arises to the height of 60. The trunk is covered 

 with a deeply furrowed bark. The young twigs are yellowish, putting forth 

 leaves of a rich green, which are deeply divided into 5 lobes more regularly 

 formed than those of the rock maple. The fruit is in a globular, compact 

 ball, suspended by a slender pedicel, consisting of numerous capsules, each con- 

 taining 1 or 2 seeds. When wounded in summer, a gum of an agreeable odor 

 is distilled from the trunk. May. 



ORDER CXXIX. PL AT AN ACE JE. SYCAMORES. 



Tre.es and shrubs, with alternate, palmately lobed leaves and sheathing, scarious stipules. 

 Aments monoecious, globose, with achlamydeous flowers. 

 Sterile. Sta. single, with only small scales intermixed. Anth. 2-celled, linear. 

 Fertile. Ova. terminated by a thick style with one side stigmatic. 

 Fr. Nut clavate, tipped with the persistent, recurved style. Seed, solitary albuminous. 

 Genera l, species 6? Trees of the largest dimensions, natives of Barbary, Levant and N. America. 



PLATlNUS. 



Gr. irXaruf, broad; in reference .to the ample foliage. 



Character of the genus the same as that of the order. 



P. OCCIDENTALS. Plane Tree. Button-wood. Sycamore. 



Lvs. lobed, angular ; branches whitish. The plane-tree is a native of all 

 the U. S., and is by far the largest (though not the loftiest) tree of the American 

 forest. On the margins of the great rivers of the West, trees are found whose 

 trunks measure from 40 50f in circumference, or more than 13f in diameter ! 

 In N. England it also grows to magnificent dimensions. It nourishes in any 

 soil, but is most frequently met with on the stony borders and beds of streams. 

 Leaves very large, tomentose beneath when young. Flowers in globular aments 

 or balls, which hang upon the tree on long pedicels most of the winter. The 

 bark is yearly detached from the trunk in large scales leaving a white surface 

 beneath. May. 



ORDER CXXX. URTICACEJE. NETTLEWORTS. 



Trees and shrubs, with a milky juice, or herbs with a watery juice. 



Lvs. alternate or opposite, rough or covered with stinging hairs, often stipulate. 



F/s. monoecious, dioecious, or polygamous, in panicles, aments or dense heads. 



Cat. membranous, lobed, persistent. 



Sta. definite, distinct, inserted into the base of the calyx and opposite its lobes. 



Ova. free, simple, 1-ovuled. Style 1. 



Fr. achenium or utricle, surrounded by the membranous or fleshy calyx. 



Genera 56, species 540, widely diffused throughout the world. 



Properties. The juice is almost always deleterious, sometimes in a high degree. It contains caout- 

 chouc. The celebrated Bohon Upas, the most deadly of all poisons, is the concrete juice of Antiaris toxi- 

 caria of the Indian Archipelago. Its poisonous property is said to be due to the presence of strychnia. 

 Meanwhile the famous cwo tree of S. America yields a copious supply of milk which is rich and whole- 

 some. Gum lac is obtained abundantly from Ficus Indica The renowned Banyan tree is Ficus reli- 

 giosa. In this order are also found many excellent fruits. Figs are the fruit of Ficus Carica, &c. Bread 

 fruit is the compound fruit of Artocarpus : mulberries of Morus nigra. Fustic, a yellow dye, is the wood 

 of M. tinctoria of S. America. The use of hemp in the manufacture of cordage is well known, as are 

 likewise the uses of the hop. The nettles are remarkable for their stinging, venomous huirs. 



This order is composed of four principal suborders, viz. Artocarpece, Morea, Urticeez, and Cannabinece, 

 of which the three last are represented in the following genera. 



Conspectus of the Genera. 



(Fruit a compound, fleshy, purple berry Morus. I 



Fruit simple, fleshy, dark red, small Broussonetia. 2 



Fruit a large, compound, yellow globe Madura. 3 



Fruitafig! , Ficus. 



$ Fertile cal. 2-sepaled. Urtica. 5 



(Fls. spicate or paniculate, f Fertile calyx 0. . Bcehniena. 6 



I Lvs. simple. Sta. 4. Flowers capitate, involucrate Parietaria. 7 



(erect. Leaves palmately 5 -7-foliate. Stamens 5 Cannabis. 8 



Herbs < climbing, dioecious. Stamens 5. Fertile flowers in aments. . . . Humulu-s. 9 



