646 



HISTOTIY OF THE VEGETABLE KINGDOM. 



as the divisions of tlie calyx, or double, triple, 

 or quadruple, and are inserted at their base. 

 They are monadelplious, and some of them are 

 occasionally sterile, and reduced to their fila- 

 ment, which becomes flat and downy. The 

 ovary is free, with a single cell, containing a 

 great number of ovules inserted on three or five 

 parietal trophosperms. The style is simple, 

 terminated by a capitulate or lobed stigma. The 

 fruit is a unilocular capsule, opening by three 

 or five valves, which bear upon the middle of 

 their inner surface the seeds, enveloped in a 

 more or less abundant coloured pulp. The 

 seeds have a fleshy endospenn, in which is a 

 very small heterotrope embryo ; in other words, 

 having its radicle opposite to the hilum or point 

 of attachment of the seed. 



This family is composed of the genera samyda, 

 anauringa, casearia, to which may be added the 

 genus piparea of Aublet. 



Leguminos^, Jussieu. This is a very natural 

 family, in which are contained herbaceous plants, 

 shrubs, or small trees, and trees often of colossal 

 dimensions, natives of all parts of the world. 

 Their leaves are alternate, compound or decom- 

 pound, sometimes simple. Rarely the leaflets 

 are abortive, and there only remains the petiole, 

 which widens and forms a kind of simple leaf. 

 At the base of each leaf are two persistent sti- 

 pules. The flowers present a very diversified 

 inflorescence. They are generally hermaphro- 

 dite. Their calyx is sometimes tubular, with 

 five unequal teeth, sometimes with five more or 

 less deep and unequal divisions. At the outside 

 of the calyx, there are one or more bracteas, or 

 sometimes a calyciform involucre. The corolla, 

 which is sometimes wanting, is composed of five 

 generally unequal petals, of which one, named 

 the standard, is larger and superior ; two named 

 wings are latei-al ; and two inferior, and more or 

 less coherent or united, forming the heel. Some- 

 times the corolla is formed of five equal petals. 

 The stamina are generally ten in number, some- 

 times more numerous. Their filaments are usu- 

 ally diadelphous, rarely monadelphous, or en- 

 tirely free, perigynous or hypogynous. The 

 ovary is more or less stipitate at its base. It is 

 generally elongated, inequilateral, with a single 

 cell, containing one or more ovules attached to 

 the inner suture. The style is somewhat lateral, 

 often bent or curved, and terminated by a simple 

 stigma. The fruit is always a legume. The 

 seeds are generally destitute of endosperm. 



This extensive family is composed of very 

 numerous genera, which may be divided into 

 three natural tribes. : 



1. PAPiLioNACEiE : corolla formed of five 

 unequal petals, constituting the irregular corolla 

 named papilionaceous ; ten stamina generally 

 diadelphous, as pliaseolus,faha, lathynis, robinia, 

 glycine, astragalus, phaca, &c. 



2. Cassie^e : corolla generally formed of five 

 regular petals ; the ten stamina usually free, as 

 cassia, hauhinia, geoffraea, &c. 



8. MmosEiE : containing the apetalous genera, 

 furnished with a calyciform involucre ; stamina 

 very numerous and free, as mimosa, acacia, inga, 

 &c. 



The family of leguminosae is very nearly allied 

 to the rosacea^, and, although at first sight it 

 appears very easy to distinguish them, there are 

 genera which form a kind of transition from the 

 one family to the other. 



The papilionacea3 are possessed of very diver- 

 sified properties. The seeds of many species are 

 used as food, such as the bean, the pea, &c., 

 while those of others are purgative, emetic, or 

 poisonous. Of the latter kind are those of the 

 laburnum. The pulp of the tamarind, ceratonia, 

 siliqua, mimosa fagifolia, and cassia fistula, is 

 more or less purgative. Senna consists of the 

 leaves of several species of cassia. Catechu is 

 obtained from acacia catechu. Gum arable is 

 yielded by acacia senegalensis and other species ; 

 gum tragacanth by astragalus creticus and verus. 

 Myroxylon balsamiferum aff^ords the balsam of 

 tolu ; copaifera officinalis, copaiba balsam. 

 Indigo is obtained from several species of indi- 

 gofera ; logwood is the wood of hcematoxylon 

 campecTiianum; sanders-wood that of pterocarpus 

 santalimcs. The tonkay-bean is the seed of 

 cowmarouma odorata, which owes its fragrance to 

 a peculiar principle found also in the flowers of 

 melilotus officinalis, 



Tereeinthaoe^, Jussieu. Consists of trees 

 or shrubs, often lactescent or resinous, having 

 alternate, generally compound leaves, destitute 

 of stipules, and small hermaphrodite or unisex- 

 ual flowers, usually disposed in racemes. Each 

 of the flowers has a calyx of from three to five 

 sepals, sometimes connected at their base, and 

 united to the ovary, which is inferior, and a 

 corolla, which is sometimes wanting, but is usu- 

 ally composed of a number of petals equal to the 

 lobes of the calyx, and regular. The stamina 

 are generally of the same number as the petals, 

 more rarely double or quadruple : in the former 

 case they alternate with the petals. The pistil 

 is composed of from three to five carpels, some- 

 times distinct, sometimes more or less united, 

 and surrounded at their base by a perigynous, 

 annular disk. Sometimes some of the carpels 

 are abortive, and there remains only one, from 

 which spring several styles. Each carpel has a 

 single cell, containing sometimes an ovule, sup- 

 ported upon the top of a filiform podospemi, 

 which arises from the bottom of the cell, some- 

 times a reversed ovule, sometimes two reversed 

 or collateral ovules. The fruits ai-e dry or di-u- 

 paceous, generally containing a single seed. 

 The seed contains an embryo destitute of endo- 

 sperm. 



