PENMAOEM. 



99 



like the other verticils of the flower, tetramerous, seed exalbu- 

 minous with fleshy large-footed embryo, and differing generically 

 one from another only in the prefloration of the perianth and the 

 number of ovules contained in each cell ; either two ascending, or 

 four, of which two are ascending and two descending, but whatever 

 the direction, always having the micropyle interior and the raphe 

 dorsal. 



We have shown 1 that the Penœaceœ approach the Colletiece on the 

 one hand, and the Aquilarieœ on the other ; but that, from the one 

 as well as from the other, they are immediately distinguished by the 

 very singular organization of the gynœcium, unexampled apparently 

 in the Vegetable Kingdom, consisting of four carpellary leaves, inde- 

 pendent from each other at every age, valvate, with styles super- 

 posed to the partition separating the cells. The latter have their 

 dorsal wall formed of the adjoining halves of two different carpellary 

 leaves. 



To several Penœaceœ is attributed the production of a viscid, 

 sweetish and somewhat nauseous substance, used by the ancient 

 physician under the name of Sarcocol. 2 The genus which has thence 

 derived its name is, in particular, rich in a resinous waxy glue ; but 

 the real source of this kind of balm, formerly so extolled for healing 

 wounds, is not yet determined. 



1 Adansonia, xi. 289. 



- It is said to be the 2apKox6\Ka of Diosco- 

 rides. The Arabs call it Uiizeroot. It con- 

 tains a sweetish principle (sarcocollin), and is 

 said to be brought from Ethiopia. There is 

 no proof, says Endlicher {Enchirid. 214), that 

 it comes from the Penœaceœ, as Dioscorides 

 makes it come from Persia, and Mésuk reports 



that it exudes from a spinous tree. It is not 

 known whother the Persians obtained it from 

 their own country or from Africa. The Sar- 

 cocol of commerce resembles a pale, yellowish, 

 odorous, somewhat bitter incense, often mixed 

 with the fruits of the Umbelliferae, as Saga- 

 penum Galbanum. 



