TAURINEjB. 



613 



Tills family, on account of the form of its calyx, 

 its stamina sessile at the summit of the sepals, 

 and especially its general aspect, cannot he con- 

 founded with any other. 



From their beauty, they are esteemed in orna- 

 mental gardening. They are not known to pos- 

 sess any other valuable properties. The bark 

 is astringent, and that of one species yields a 

 pink dye. 



LAURiNEiE, Jussieu. Trees or shrubs with 

 alternate, rarely opposite, entire or lobed, very 

 frequently coriaceous, persistent, dotted leaves. 

 The flowers, sometimes unisexual, are disposed 

 in panicles or cymes. The calyx is monosepalous, 

 with four or six deep divisions, imbricated by 

 their edges previous to expansion. The stamina 

 are from eight to twelve, inserted at the base of 

 the calyx. Their filaments have at their base 

 two pedicellate appendages, of diversified form, 

 and appearing to be abortive stamina. The 

 anthers are terminal, opening by means of two 

 or four valves, which rise from the base to the 

 summit. The ovary is free, unilocular, con- 

 taining a single pendent ovule. The style is 

 more or less elongated, and is terminated by a 

 simple stigma. The fruit is fleshy, accompanied 

 at its base by the calyx, which forms a kind of 

 capula. The seed contains under its proper 

 integument a very large embryo, reversed like 

 the seed, with extremely thick and fleshy coty- 

 ledons. 



The type of this family is formed by the 

 laurel, and some genera allied to it, as borbouia, 

 ocotea, and cassytha. The last mentioned genus 

 is remarkable for being composed of herbaceous 

 twining and leafless plants. Jussieu united 

 myristica with the laurineas, but Mr Brown has 

 justly removed it to form a distinct family under 

 the name of myristicece. The family of laurinese 

 is chiefly characterised by its peculiar aspect, 

 and by its stamina, the anthers of which open 

 by means of valves. The same character is 

 observed in the hamamelideie and Berberidece; 

 but the last mentioned family belongs to the 

 class of hypogynous polypetalous dicotyle- 

 dones. 



Many of the species are aromatic, pungent, 

 and stomachic. Cinnamon, cassia, and camphor, 

 are obtained from various species of Laurus. 

 The bark of laurus benzoin is employed in 

 America in intermittent fevers. 



Myristice^, Brown. Tropical trees with alter- 

 nate, entire leaves, which are not dotted, and 

 dioecious, axillar, or terminal flowers, variously 

 disposed. Their monosepalous calyx has four 

 valvar divisions. In the male flowers there are 

 from three to twelve monadelphous stamina; the 

 anthers placed close together, often united, and 

 opening by a longitudinal groove. In the female 

 flowers the ovary is free, with a single cell, con- 

 taining a single erect ovule. The style is very 



short, terminated by a lobed stigma. The fruit 

 is a kind of capsular berry, opening with two 

 valves. The seed is covered by a fleshy arillus, 

 divided into a great number of shreds. The 

 endosperm is fleshy or very hard, mottled, and 

 contains towards its base a very small erect 

 embryo. 



The type of this family is the nutmeg tree. It 

 is very distinct from the laurinete, in having its 

 calyx with three divisions; its stamina monadel- 

 phous, and opening by a longitudinal groove; 

 its seed erect, and furnished with an arillus; and 

 its embryo very small, and contained in a hard 

 and marbled endosperm. 



Nutmeg and mace, the fruit of myristica mos- 

 chata, are possessed of aromatic and stimulant 

 properties. 



PoiTGONEiE, Jussieu. Herbaceous, rarely suf- 

 frutescent plants, with alternate leaves, sheath- 

 ing at their base, or adhering to a membranous 

 and stipular sheath, rolled downwards upon their 

 middle nerve when young. Flowers sometimes 

 unisexual, disposed in cylindrical spikes, or in 

 terminal clusters. Calyx monosepalous, with 

 from four to six segments, sometimes disposed 

 in two rows, and imbricated previous to their 

 evolution. Stamina from four to nine, free, and 

 with anthers opening longitudinally. Ovary 

 free, unilocular, with a single erect ovule; the 

 fruit, which is pretty frequently triangular, is 

 dry and indehiscent, sometimes covered by the 

 persistent calyx. The seed contains, in a farin- 

 aceous, sometimes very thin endosperm, a re- 

 versed and often unilateral embryo. 



This family is composed of the genera poly- 

 gonum, rumex, rheum, cocoloba, &c. It is dis- 

 tinguished from the chenopodese, by the stipular 

 sheath of its leaves, its erect ovule, and its re- 

 versed embryo. 



The roots of many species are astringent, as 

 of the rumices generally. Those of rheum are 

 well known as a common purgative. Polygonum 

 hydropiper is extremely acrid, and blisters the 

 mouth when tasted. The seeds of polygonum 

 fagopyrum, or buck-wheat, which is extensively 

 cultivated in France, are used as food. The 

 leaves and young stems of rumex aceiosa and 

 acetosella, are agreeably acid, as are those of 

 oxyria reniformis. 



Ateiplices, Jussieu. CiiENOPODEiE, Decan- 

 doUe. Herbaceous or woody plants, with alter- 

 nate or opposite leaves, destitute of stipules. 

 The flowers are small, sometimes unisexual, dis- 

 posed in branched clusters, or grouped in the 

 axilla of the leaves. The calyx is monosepalous, 

 sometimes tubular at the base, with three, four, 

 or five, more or less deep, persistent lobes. The 

 stamina vary from one to five. They are inserted 

 either at the base of the calyx, or under the 

 ovary, and are opposite to the lobes of the calyx. 

 The ovary is free, unilocular-, monospcrmous, 



