574 SANTALACE^— LOKANTHACE^. 



Authors mention 9 genera, including 32 species. Examples — Homa- 

 lium, Nisa. 



Order 153. — SANTALACEiE, the Sandal- wood Family. {Apet. 

 Epigyn.) Perianth superior, 4-5-cleft ; sestivation valvate. Stamens 

 4-5, opposite the segments of the perianth, and inserted into their 

 bases. Ovary coherent, 1-celled ; ovules 1-4, pendulous from the apex 

 of a central placenta ; style 1 ; stigma often lobed. Fruit nut-like or 

 drupaceous. Seed solitary; embryo minute, in the axis of fleshy 

 albumen ; radicle superior. — Trees, shrubs, or herbs, with alternate or 

 nearly opposite exstipulate leaves. Found in various parts of the 

 world, as Europe, Asia, America, and New HoUand. Authors 

 give 20 genera, including 200 species. Examples — Santalum, Osyris, 

 Thesium. 



Some are astringent, others yield fragrant wood. Santalum album, 

 and other Indian and Polynesian species, yield Sandal-wood, which is 

 used both medicinally and as a perfume. Some think the Almug or 

 Algum trees of the Bible are Santalum album, while others refer them 

 to Pteroearpus santalinus, the Eed Sandal-wood of India (p. 480). The 

 seeds of some of the plants of the order are eaten. The species of 

 Thesium seem to be root-parasites. The large seeds of Pyrularia oleifera, 

 Buffalo-tree, or Oil-nut, yield a fixed oil. Santalum Persicari is a 

 dwarf kind of Australian Sandal- wood. The bark of the root fur- 

 nishes an amylaceous food. 



Order 154. — Loeanthacb.s!, the Mistleto Family. (Apet. or Mono- 

 pet. Epigyn.) Calyx arising from a tube, or rim, which some regard as 

 an expansion of the pedicel, often bracteated. Petals (or according to 

 others, sepals) 4-8, distinct, or more or less united ; aestivation valvate. 

 Stamens equal in number to the petals, and opposite to them ; fila- 

 ments more or less united to the petals ; anthers 1- 2- or many-celled 

 (p. 222). Ovary unilocular, adherent to the oalycine tube or the ex- 

 panded pedicel ; ovules with a naked nucleus, erect or suspended (figs. 

 450, 451, p. 253) ; style filiform or ; stigma simple. Fruit succu- 

 lent, crowned by the calyx, 1-celled. Seed solitary, pendulous ; em- 

 bryo straight, in the axis of fleshy albumen ; cotyledons either minute 

 or numerous ; radicle superior. — Shrubs usually parasitical, with oppo- 

 site or alternate, fleshy exstipulate leaves. Many of the plants have 

 showy flowers, which hang from the trunks and branches of trees in 

 the equinoctial parts of Asia and America. Some occur in temperate 

 regions. Genera, 13 ; species, about 450. Examples— LoiaxAhviS, 

 Viscum, Myzodendron. 



Disputes have taken place as to the structure of the flowers in 

 this order, some considering the petals as being in reality sepals, and 

 regarding the calycine rim as being an expansion of the pedicel only. 

 The wood of some of the plants is arranged in separate wedges, and 

 their vessels are either annular or scalariform. The fruit contains a 



