528 EPACKIDACE^ — ^EBENACEjE. 



its segments, rarely fewer ; anthers 1-eelled (fig. 359, p. 222), with- 

 out appendages, opening longitudinally ; pollen round, or formed of 

 three united grains, attached to a single central receptacle. Ovary 

 sessile, free, multilocular, rarely unilocular, surrounded by scales at 

 the base ; ovules solitary or 00 ; style 1 ; stigma simple, sometimes 

 toothed. Fruit drupaceous, baccate, or capsular. Seeds albuminous ; 

 embryo slender, in the axis of fleshy albumen, and about half its length. 

 — Shrubs, or small trees, with alternate, rarely opposite, exstipulate 

 leaves, which are sometimes half-amplexicaul at the base. They are 

 allied to Ericaceae, and may be said to represent the heaths in Aus- 

 tralia. They are distinguished from heaths by the structure of their 

 anthers. Some yield edible fruits. One of the plants, called Native 

 Currant m Australia, is Leucopogon Bichei. The order has been divided 

 into two tribes : — 1. Epacreae, polyspermous. 2. Styphelieae, mono- 

 spermous. There are 32 genera and 336 species. Examples — Epa- 

 cris, Sprengelia, Styphelia, Leucopogon, Lissanthe. 



Order 107. — EBENACBiB, the Ebony Family. (Mmopet. Hypog.) 

 Flowers hermaphrodite or unisexual. Calyx 3-7-divided, nearly equal, 

 persistent. Corolla gamopetalous, regular, deciduous, somewhat cori- 

 aceous; limb with 3-7 divisions; sestivation imbricated. Stamens 

 either attached to the corolla, or hypogynous, 2 or 4 times as many 

 as the corolline segments, rarely equal to them in number, and then 

 alternate with them ; filaments usually in two rows, the inner row 

 having smaller anthers; anthers erect, lanceolate, bOocular, with 

 longitudinal dehiscence. Ovary free, sessile, multilocular; ovules 

 1-2 in each cell, pendulous ; style divided, rarely simple ; stigmas 

 bifid or simple. Fruit fleshy, round or oval, the pericarp sometimes 

 opening regularly. Seeds few ; testa membranous ; embryo straight, 

 nearly in the axis of cartilaginous albumen ; cotyledons leafy ; radiole 

 taper, next the hilum. — Trees or shrubs, not lactescent, with alter- 

 nate, exstipulate, coriaceous leaves. They are chiefly found in tro- 

 pical regions, and many species are met with in India. The plants 

 are remarkable for the hardness and durability of their wood. Some 

 yield edible fruit. Diospyros reticulata and Ebenum and other African 

 and Asiatic species, supply Ebony, which is the black duramen of the 

 tree. Other species of Diospyros furnish Ironwood. Diospyros vir- 

 giniana, the Persimon, yields a fruit (sometimes called the Date- 

 plum) which is austere when green, but becomes sweet and eatable 

 when ripe, especially after being acted on by frost. Its bark has 

 been employed as a febrifuge. D. Kahi is the Keg-fig of Japan, the 

 fruit of which resembles a plum. Diospyros Emhryopteris, a native of 

 India and Siam, yields a succulent fruit, the pulp of which is astrin- 

 gent. Diospyros guasita supplies the Ooromandel or Calamander 

 wood of Ceylon. Genera, 12 ; species, 175. Examples — Diospyros, 

 Eoyena, Maba. 



