456 guttifeejE oe clusiace^. 



places the genus among Hypericacese, while others refer the plant to 

 the natural order Orassulacese. The stamens of Pamassia are irritable, 

 and move towards the pistil in succession (p. 386). There are 

 17 known genera, and about 281 species. Examples — Hypericum, 

 Elodea, Vismia, Parnassia. 



Order 36. — Guttifek^ or eLUSiACE.aE, the Gamboge Family. 

 (Polypet. Hypog.) Sepals 2-6-8, usually persistent, round, fre- 

 quently unequal and coloured ; aestivation imbricated. Petals hypo- 

 gynous, equal to, or a multiple of, the sepals. Stamens hypogjfnous, 

 usually 00, rarely definite, free or variously united at the base ; fila- 

 ments unequal in length ; anthers adnate, introrse or extrorse, some- 

 times very small, occasionally unUocular, and sometimes with porous 

 or'circumscissUe dehiscence. Thalamus forming a fleshy, sometimes 

 5-lobed disk. Ovary solitary, 1- or many-celled ; ovules either solitary 

 and erect or ascending, or numerous and attached to central placentas ; 

 style or very short ; stigmas peltate or radiate. Fruit dry or fleshy, 

 1- or many-celled, 1- or many-seeded, either with septicidal dehiscence 

 or indehiscent. Seeds definite, anatropal, or orthotropal, in a pulp, 

 apterous and often arillate, with a thin and membranous spermoderm ; 

 albumen ; embryo straight ; cotyledons usually cohering. — Trees or 

 shrubs, sometimes parasitical, with exstipulate, opposite, coriaceous, 

 entire leaves, having a strong midrib, and lateral veins running directly 

 to the margin. Flowers articulated with the peduncle, often unisexual 

 by abortion. They are natives of tropical regions, more especially of 

 South America ; a few are from Madagascar and the continent of 

 Africa. They generally require situations combining excessive heat 

 and humidity. Authors enumerate 30 genera, including about 230 

 species. Examples — Clusia, Garcinia, Oambogia, and Calophyllum. 



The plants of this order yield a resinous juice, which is acrid, pur- 

 gative, and has a yellow colour. Gamboge is one of the most im- 

 portant products. It is procured from Garcinia Morella, var. pedicelr 

 lata (Cf. Hanlwryi of Hooker), a dioecious tree, with laurel-like foliage 

 and small yellow flowers, found in Oamboja, Siam, and in the 

 southern parts of Cochin-China. Oarcinia pictoria and Travancorica 

 also furnish Gamboge. In commerce this drug occurs in the form of 

 Pipe or EoU Gamboge, and of Lump or Cake Gamboge. Another 

 kind of gamboge, called Coorg or Wynaad Gamboge, seems to be the 

 produce of Oarcinia elliptica. Gamboge is a powerful irritant, and in 

 large doses acts as a poison, causing inflammation of the mucous 

 membrane. It is employed medicinally as a drastic and hydragogue 

 cathartic. It is an excellent pigment. The resin of Tacamahaca is 

 yielded by Calophyllum Calaha. An oil is obtained from the seeds of 

 Calophyllum Inophyllum. Pentadesma hutyracea is the Butter and 

 Tallow-tree of Sierra Leone, so called on account of the solid oU which 

 is furnished by the fruit. While an acrid resin is the product of 



