100 NATURAL HISTORY OF PLANTS. 



I. Salvertieje. — Ovary free, plurilocular. Cells containing two dc- 

 scendeut ovules, "vvith superior and extericr micropyle. One single 

 fertile stamen.^ Fruit capsular with winged seeds. Embryo ex- 

 albuniiuoiis, and cotyledons foliaceous convolute. — 4 genera. 



II. Ekisme^. — Ovary adnate to the concavity of the receptacle 

 (adherent) unilocular, biovulate. Ovules descendent with inferior 

 and exterior micropyle. One single fertile stamen. Fruit indéhis- 

 cent, samaroid. Embryo straight, exalbuminous. — 1 genus. 



III. Trigonia.^ — Ovary free upon the oblique receptacle, scarcely 

 concave or very deep, with several bi-ovulate or multi-ovulate cells. 

 Androceum irregular ; several fertile stamens, unequal. Fruit cap- 

 sular. Embryo straight, surrounded by albumen. — 2 genera. 



The secondary characters which, in this series, serve to distin- 

 guish the genera, are the greater or less concavity of the receptacle, 

 the number of fertile stamens, the number of ovules in each cell, 

 and the more or less decided auatropous character of the seeds, the 

 thickness, consistency, persistence or disappearance of the central 

 iruit columella. Those which, on the contrary, are constant in the 

 family, are : the woody nature of the stems, the disposition on the 

 leaves, opposite or verticillate (except in Lightia)^ the irregularity 

 of the flowers and the perigynous insertion, except in certain 

 Trigonias where it is scarcely indicated. 



All the known species of Voclujsiacecv^ some hundred, belong to 

 the tropical regions of South America. They have but few useful 

 qualities. Their resinous juice has not been much used, nor has 

 the perfumed essence of the flowers.'^ The arborescent species 

 furnish a useful wood. That of VoclnjHia guianoms'^ {^^.\'11-\'i\) 

 is said to be hard but little durable. It is seldom that the plants 

 have been introduced into our greenhouses, and the cultvire of them 

 has not, I believe, been successful. 



I Abnormally two or tliree. Lindl. Vcg. Kiiigd. 380. — Rosenth. Sijn. Fl. 



^ Triiioniaeeœ Mart. Cotisp. 247. — Endl. Gen, I)iap/wr.899. — J', excelsa Zucc. — -Vochy guianen- 



1080. — Gen. Poliigalearum Lindl. Vcij. Kingd. sis Aubl. Giiiu/i. i. 18, t. 6. — Cucullaria. excelsa 



376.— Gtn. Malpighiaceis affine J. Oeii. 253. W. Spec. i. 17. [Itaballi. Copaiyê, according to 



^ Endl. Enehirid. 631. Schombiegk.) 



* L.I.MK, 111. t. 11.— DC. Frodr. iii. 26, n. 1.— 



