Ord. OCHNACEiE. 



Frutices vel arbores, alternifoliae, gynobasicae, ligno ama- 

 rissimo ; a Zanthoxylaceis foliis simplicibus epunctatis ova- 

 riisque uniovulatis, a Simarubaceis simplicifoliis embryonis 

 radicula intra cotyledones baud retracta et filamentis esqiia- 

 matis, diversa. 



OcHNACE^, DC. in Ann. Mus. 17. p. 398, & Prodr. 1. p. 735. Bartl. 

 Ord. Nat. 383. Meisn. PI. Vase. p. G6. Endl. Gen. p. 1141. 

 Lindl. Veg. Kingd. p. 474. 



The OchnacejE constitute a small family of trees or shrubs, natives of 

 tropical India, Africa, and America; the greater portion belonging to the 

 New World. The most northern genus is Castela, which is principally 

 West Indian, but one species is found in Northern Mexico and along the 

 coast of Texas. This has neither the large and fleshy gynophore nor the 

 united styles of the rest of the family, and is the type of the tribe Casteleag, 

 which has extrorse anthers, a pendulous and albuminous seed, and usually 

 polygamous flowers ; in all these points (except in the direction of the an- 

 thers) and in other particulars agreeing with the Zanthoxylaceae ; but dif- 

 fering from them in the simple and entire coriaceous leaves being entirely 

 destitute of pellucid dots and of aromatic qualities, and also in the uni- 

 ovulate carpels. The tribe Ochneas, on the other hand, has perfect flowers, 

 introrse anthers, and erect seeds, which are destitute of albumen. It is 

 hardly to be distinguished from the entire-leaved plants of the Simarubaceae, 

 or Quassia Family ; except that in the latter the seed is pendulous, the short 

 radicle is retracted within the base of the large cotyledons, as in Floerkea 

 (Plate 154) and the Nasturtium ; and the filaments are furnished with an 

 internal appendage or petaloid scale, in the manner of most Zygophyllaceae 

 (Plates 147, 149). 



The sensible qualities of this family entirely coincide with its relation- 

 ship. The species arc all endowed with the pure and intense bitterness, 

 without aromatic properties, of the Simarubaceae, as exemplified by the ofli- 

 cinal Quassia-wood. 



The wood of Castela Nicholsoni, tlie subject of our illustration, which 

 represents this order in Texas and Northern Mexico, is very bitter. In 

 Antigua it is said to be as bitter as that of Quassia itself. The oil expressed 

 from the seeds of a species of Gomphia is used in salads in Brazil. 



