SAPOTACE^ — MYESINACE^ — JASMINACE^. 531 



Cape of Good Hope. The number of known genera noticed by authors 

 is 25; species 218. Examples — Ohrysophyllum, Acbras, Bassia, Ison- 

 andra, Mimusops. 



Many of the plants of this order yield edible fruits, while others 

 supply oily matter. Some act as tonics, astringents, and febrifuges ; 

 Achras Sapota and other species furnish the SapodUla Plum and 

 Naseberry, well known West Indian fruits ; while Achras mammosa 

 yields the fruit called Marmalade. The bark of some of the species of 

 Achras is tonic and astringent, and the seeds of several have laxative 

 properties. The fruit of Chrysophyllum Cainito is the Star-apple. Mimu- 

 sops Mengi, supplies the Surinam Medlar of Europeans. The fruit of 

 Mimusops kaki is eaten in India. Various species of Bassia yield oil. 

 B. Parhii is said to be the source of the Shea butter, and hence the 

 tree is called the Butter-tree of Park. B. butyracea, the Madhuca tree, 

 gives a similar product, which is used as butter in Nepaul. The milky 

 juice of some of the plants contains elastic matter. Jsonandra Gutta 

 is the source of Gutta Percha, a kind of caoutchouc, which softens at 

 a moderate temperature, and is used for the soles of shoes, ropes, 

 straps, casts, and various articles for domestic use. The kernels of 

 Lucwma mammosa contain prussic acid. 



Order 111. — Myesinace^, the Myrsine Family. (Monopet. 

 Hypog.) Flowers hermaphrodite or occasionally unisexual. Calyx 

 4-5-cleft, persistent. Corolla monopetalous, hypogjmous, 4-5-cleft, 

 equal. Stamens 4-5, inserted into the corolla, and opposite to its 

 segments ; filaments distinct, rarely united, sometimes 0, occasionally 

 5 sterile petaloid alternating ones ; anthers sagittate, erect, bilocular, 

 with longitudinal dehiscence. Ovary free or slightly adherent, unilo- ■ 

 cular ; ovules definite or indefinite, campylotropal, immersed in a free 

 central placenta ; style single ; stigma simple or lobed. Fruit fleshy, 

 1- or many-seeded. Seeds angular or roimdish, with a concave hUum, 

 and a membranous spermoderm; albumen homy; embryo usually 

 curved, often heterotropal ; cotyledons short ; radicle horizontal when 

 the seed is solitary, inferior when there are several seeds. — Trees, 

 shrubs, or undershrubs, with alternate or opposite, coriaceous, exstipu- 

 late leaves. . They are much restricted as regards their geographical 

 limits, and they are said to abound chiefly in islands with an equable 

 temperature. They are found in Africa, Asia, and America. Little 

 is known regarding their properties. Theophrasta Jussicei is a prickly- 

 leaved shrub, which is called Coco in St. Domingo. Its seeds are 

 eatable, and a kind of bread is made from them. The berries of Myr- 

 sine lifaria are said to possess cathartic properties. The Ardisias are 

 prized for the beauty of their foliage. There are 33 known genera 

 and about 300 species. Examples — Myrsine, Ardisia, Msesa, Jac- 

 quinia. 



Order 112. — JASMiNACEiE, the Jasmine or Jessamine FamUy. 



