300 NATURAL HISTORY OP PLANTS. 



interior, and not exterior like that of tlie Bhizophoracece. By their 

 opposite leaves and inferior ovary, these last are near neighbours of 

 the Myrtacece, from which they are separated by their stipules and 

 by the generally definite number of their stamens and ovules. The 

 latter, moreover, are always descending, with the micropyle exterior. 

 This character recurs in the ArcdiacecB, the flower of which, analogous 

 to that of the Bhizophorece in the form of the receptacle, and the 

 thick corolla, often valvate, has an androecium nearly always isoste- 

 monous, inserted below an epigynous disk, whilst the seeds have a 

 small embryo situate near the summit of an abundant albumen, and 

 the leaves are generally alternate and often compound. The genera 

 of BhizophoracecB with free ovary,' whilst the receptacle is more or 

 less concave, approach the Lythrariacece, of which they often present 

 the habit, the inflorescence, the simple style, but have generally 

 neither interpetiolate stipules, nor punctate leaves, nor independent 

 disk prominent in its upper part, nor thick and valvate petals, nor 

 albumen in the seeds. The BMzophoracece have also been considered 

 as allied to the 8axifragacece, especially to the Hamamelidece, among 

 which the genus Anisophyllea has been placed, and to the Gunoniece 

 •with opposite leaves. But this affinity appears to us distant ; it can 

 hardly be claimed for genera with parietal placentae, independant 

 styles, numerous and not voluminous ovules, inserted on a salient 

 or descending and more or less bilobed placenta. To sum up, the 

 BhizophoraceoB appear' to us neighbours of the Myrtacece, of the 

 Lythrariacece, and of the Gornacece, but it is always easy to distin- 

 guish them. 



TJsES.^ — These are not numerous. The plants are generally 

 astringent, tolerably rich in tannin, and consequently sometimes 

 employed by dyers and tanners. This is the case with Bhizophora 

 mangle^ (fig. 253-260). Its bark is used in tropical America to dye 

 black and brown. It is employed medicinally in the treatment of 

 flux, hemorrhage, and angina. The fruit is said to be edible, and a 

 sort of fermented wine is prepared from it. In Brazil and Columbia, 



' LiNDLEY places, I know not why, the Cassi- 3 L. Speo. 634.— jACa. ^mer. 141, t. 89.— 



pourece teside the Loganiacece. Catese. Carol, ii. t. 53. — DC. Frodr. iii. 32, n. 1 



2 Eni)L. Enchtrii, 634.— Lindl. Veg. Kingd. [Manglur noir, Paletuvier noir). Its fruit is 



(1846) lll.—'B.osesi-K.Syn.Pl.Biaphor.^Oi, -roXgaxij cailedi Mange ot Mangle. 

 1157. 



