STYEACAOE^ — AQUIFOLIACEiE. 529 



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 Order 108. — ^Styeacace^ (Symplocinese! of Dob), the Storax 

 Family. (Monopet. Hypog.) Calyx persistent, with an entire or a 

 5- or 4-divided limb. Corolla gamopetalous, regular, inserted in the 

 calyx; sestivation imbricated or valvate. Stamens definite or 00, 

 attached to the coroUine tube, of unequal length; filaments often 

 slightly united at their base in one .or more parcels ; anthers innate, 

 dithecal, introrse. Ovary either free or cohering more or less to the 

 ealycine tube, 2-5-ceUed, the septa occasionally deficient towards the 

 centre ; ovules 2-4 in each cell, or 00, pendulous, sometimes the upper 

 ones ascending ; style simple ; stigma simple. Fruit enclosed in the 

 calyx, drupaceous, usually unilocular by abortion. Seeds usually 

 solitary, erect, or suspended ; embryo slender, in the axis of fleshy 

 albumen; cotyledons flat, foliaceous; radicle long, pointing to the 

 hilum. — Trees or shrubs, with alternate, exstipulate leaves, and 

 frequently stellate hairs. They are chiefly natives of warm countries. 

 There are two tribes : — 1. Styracess, with a more or less valvate 

 aestivation of the corolla, and long anthers. 2. Syinplocese, with a 

 quincuncial corolline aestivation, and roundish anthers. Authors give 

 12 genera, including 130 species. Examples — Styrax, Halesia, Sym- 

 plocos. 



The plants of the order have in general stimulant, aromatic, and 

 fragrant properties. Styrax officinale, a tree inhabiting Syria, Arabia, 

 and the southern parts of Europe, is supposed to be the source of the 

 balsamic resinous substance called Storax. The resinous juice is pro- 

 cured after incisions or punctures by insects. Common Storax is im- 

 ported into Britain from Trieste, in the form of little cakes, having a 

 balsamic odour. Besides resin and a little volatile oil, it contains from 

 1-2|^ per cent of Benzoic acid. It has been employed medicinally as 

 a pectoral remedy. Styrax Benzoin is a tree 70 or 80 feet high, a 

 native of Sumatra and Borneo, which yields by incisions the concrete 

 balsamic exudation called Benzoin. When fine this substance con- 

 tains about 80 per cent of resin, and nearly 20 of Benzoic acid. It 

 is used medicinally as a stimulant expectorant, and is one of the in- 

 gredients in the celebrated Friar's balsam. It exists also in other 

 empirical remedies, such as Eiga balsam and Jesuits' drops. Benzoin 

 is generally used for fumigation and incense. Pastilles are made by 

 mixing it with balsam of tolu, sandal-wood, labdanum, charcoal, nitre, 

 gum, and tragacanth. It is used for incense in the Greek Church. 

 There are two kinds of Benzoin, one from Siam, and the other from 

 Sumatra. Haledas are the Snowdrop trees of Carolina. Some of the 

 species of Symplocos are used for dyeing ; others are used as tea. 



Order 109. — Aquifoliace^ (Ilicineae of some), the Holly Family. 

 (Monopet. Hypog.) Sepals 4-6 ; sestivation imbricated. Corolla mono- 

 petalous, hypogynous, 4-6-parted; sestivation imbricate. Stamens 

 inserted into the corolla, alternate with its segments, and equal to 



2m 



