DICOTYLEDONES— THALAMIFLOE^ 267 



Properties and Uses. — These plants are chiefly remarkable 

 for bitter, tonic, and aromatic principles. Some of the Schi- 

 zandreae have mucilaginous edible fruits. 



Order 50. Anonace^e, the Custard-apple Order. — Cha- 

 racter. — Trees or shrubs, sometimes climbing. Leaves alter- 

 nate, simple, exstipulate. Calyx of three sepals, generally united 

 at the base, persistent. Corolla of usually six petals, in two 

 whorls, leathery ; (Esiwa/tom usually valvate ; hypogynous, rarely 

 united. Stamens usually numerous, and inserted on a large 

 hypogynous thalamus; connective enlarged, 4-angled; anthers 

 adnate. Carpels usually numerous, distinct or united, or very 

 rarely sohtary, with one or more anatropous ovules. Fruit com- 

 posed of a number of dry or succulent carpels, which are distinct, 

 or united so as to form a fleshy mass or rarely simple. Seeds 

 one or more, anatropous; embryo minute; albumen ruminated. 



Diagnosis. — Trees or shrubs. Leaves alternate. No stipules. 

 Calyx of 3 sepals, persistent. Petals 6, in two rows, hypo- 

 gynous, usually valvate. Anthers adnate, with an enlarged 4- 

 comered connective. Albumen ruminated. 



Distrihxition and Numbers. — The plants of this order are 

 ahnost entirely confined to the tropical regions of Asia, Africa, 

 andAmerica. None are found in Europe. Illustrative Genera : — 

 Xylopia, Linn. ; Anona, Linn. ; Monodora, Dunal. There are 

 47 genera and nearly 400 species in this order. 



Properties and Uses. — Generally aromatic and fragrant in 

 all their parts. Some have edible fruits, which are nmcli 

 esteemed.. 



Order 51. MENrsPEEMACBiB, the Moon-seed Order. — Cha- 

 r a c t e r. — Climbing or trailing shrit bs. Leaves alternate, simple, 

 exstipulate, usually entire. Floiuers dicecious. Staminate 

 floioer : — Calyx and corolla with a ternary arrangement of their 

 parts, generally in two whorls, imbricate or valvate. Stamens 

 usually distinct, equal and opposite to the petals, rarely more or 

 fewer, sometimes monadelphous. Carpels rudimentary or 

 wanting. Pistillate flower : — Sepals andi petals usually resem- 

 bling those of the <? flower. Stamens imperfectly developed, 

 or wanting. Carpels usually 3, sometimes 6 or x , commonly 

 supported on a gynophore, distinct, 1-celled, each containing one 

 curved ovule. Fruits drupaceous, curved around a central pla- 

 cental process, l-oelled. Seeds 1 in each cell, and curved so as 

 to assume the form of that cell ; embryo curved ; albiomen co- 

 pious or scanty ; sometimes ruminate ; rarely 0. 



Diagnosis. — Trailing or climbing shrubs. Leaves alternate. 



