486 NATURAL HISTORY OF P HANTS. 



Ovary cells multiorulate. Fruit capsular loculicidal or septifi-agal. 

 Seeds compressed, albumen wanting or in small quantity. — Trees 

 with leaves generally compound pinnate.^ — 3 genera. 



Affinities. — The Meliacece are very closely allied to the Sapin- 

 dacece, and perhaps ought not to be separated from them as a distinct 

 family. It is the rule, we know,* that the Sapmdacece are distin- 

 guished " by the ascendent ovules, with ventral raphe and exterior 

 micropyle, as well as by their stamens interior to the disk." But 

 we already know that there are several genera of Sapindacece with 

 regular flowers, in which, as in the Meliacece, the disk disappears or 

 is interior to the stamens. The Aitonia, having the desoendent ovule 

 with the superior micropyle and monadelphous stamens, although 

 their vesicular fruit hrings them very near to certain Sapindacece, 

 are intermediate between these and the family now under considera- 

 tion. There is not the slightest reason, we must admit, why we 

 should not attribute genera such as Hippobromus, Hypelate, Huertea, 

 Melicocca, to this family as to Sapindacece. With the same organs 

 of vegetation, a fruit often analogous, seeds frequently arillate, an 

 embryo usually exalbuminous, the Meliacece seem to represent a 

 regular form of Sapindacece, with disk interior to the androceum, 

 superior radicle, and particularly with carpels constantly united, in 

 the lower part, in a plurilocular ovary. 



Uses. — It is not astonishing that the properties ^ of the Meliacece 

 are in great part analogous to those of the Sapindacece. Those of 

 Melia are the best known and without contradiction very diverse. 

 Thus, the leaves of M. Azederach'^ (fig. 462-464) are employed in 

 India as stomachic and astringent. The inner bark, fruits, and roots 

 are vermicidal, used for tape- -vrorm and the lumhricoid Ascarides. Its 

 fruits have been said to be poisonous, although we are assured that in 



' Unifoliolate in certain Flindersia. — Lamk. III. t. 372. — DC. Prodr. i. 621 n. 1. 



2 See p. 385. Mek. et Del. I>iet. Mat. Med. iv.' 290.— 



^ Endl. EncUrid. 551. — Lindi,. Veg. Kingd. Kosenth. op. cit. 763.— Lindl. M. Mid. 151. 



464 ; Fl. MM. 151.— Gtoib. Drag. Simpl. ed. 6, iii. H. Bn. Diet. Mncyel. So. Med. b6t. 2, vi. 416 {Zila's 



686.— EosENTH. Sgn. PI. Diaphor. 762, 1151. des Indes, de la Chine, Zaurler gree, Arbre min, 



— H. Bn. Diet. Eacgcl. Se. M4d. ser. 2, vi. 417. A. a chapelets, Margomier, Lotier ilanc, 



< L. Spec. 650.— Cav. Diss. vii. 363, t. 207. Cyroueime, Faux-Sycomore, Patenotre). 



