CLASSIFICATION OF ANGIOSPERMS. 277 



nutmeg, as Monocarpia Blancoi of Africa and Jamaica. The 

 flowers of Cananga odorata of tropical countries are used in the 

 preparation of a pomade from which the perfume Ylang-ylang 

 is made. Ethereal oils are also found in other species, as Unona 

 ligularis of Amboyna, the seeds of which are used in perfumery. 

 The bark of Popowia pisocarpa of Java contains an alkaloid. 



The seeds of Xylopia salicifolia of Trinidad and X. muricata of 

 Jamaica are very bitter, as are also the wood and bark of X. glabra 

 of the West Indies. 



The seeds of Asimina triloba the North American papaw 

 (Fig. 145), contain an emetic principle. This plant should not 

 be confounded with Carica Papaya (Caricaceae) which contains 

 the ferment papain. 



Many of the Anonacese yield large succulent fruits, some of 

 which are edible, as the sugar apple obtained from Anona squa- 

 mosa and CUSTARD apple from A. reticulata both abundant in the 

 Tropics. The fruit of A. muricata sometimes weighs as much as 

 two Kilograms. 



g. MYRISTICACE^ OR NUTMEG FAMILY.— This 

 family is represented by the single genus Myristica. Nutmeg (p. 

 439) and mace are obtained from Myristica fragrans, an evergreen 

 tree with ovate, petiolate, coriaceous, entire and pinnately-veined 

 leaves. The flowers are small, yellow and dioecious. The fruit 

 is a berry having somewhat the shape and size of the green 

 fruit of black walnut. It has a line of dehiscence, and when ripe 

 is yellow. The arillode of the seed constitutes mace while the 

 kernel is the nutmeg, the pericarp of the fruit and coat of the 

 seed being rejected. 



h. LAURACE^ OR LAUREL FAMILY.— The members 

 of this family are chiefly shrubs and trees which are distributed 

 mostly in the Tropics although a few, are found in the temperate 

 zones (Fig. 134, F). 



Sassafras oMcinale. — This is a tree common in the eastern and 

 central portion of the United States and is characterized by its 

 rough bark and its i- to 3-lobed leaves, from whence it received 

 its former name Sassafras variifolium (Fig. 73). The flowers, 

 are yellow, dioecious and appear in the spring before the leaves. 

 The fruit is an oblong, blue drupe (p. 539). 



