296 XLI. OXALIDE^. 



dehiscence longitudinal. Ovakt free, 2-3-celled ; styles 3, distinct or connate ; 

 stigmas 3, capitate ; ovule solitary in the cells, pendulous from the top of the inner 

 angle, anatropous, often wanting in 1 or 2 cells. Deupb ovoid, angular, 1-celled and 

 1-seeded by suppression. Seed inverted, testa coriaceous. Embeto straight, in 

 the axis of a cartilaginous scanty albumen ; cotyledons elliptic or linear, flat, folia- 

 ceous ; radicle short, cylindric, superior. 



PRINCIPAL GENUS. 

 Erytliroxj'lon. 



ErythroxylecB are closely related to Linem, differing only in their always appendioulate and diploste- 

 monous petals, tlieir drupaceous fruit and woody stem. They are near Malpighiacece in hypogynistn, 

 diplostemony, connate filaments, ovary cells with one pendulous ovule, 'distinct styles, woody stem, and 

 stipulate leaves ; but in MalpighiacecB many of the stamens are often suppressed, and the petals have long 

 . claws and no appendages, and the stipules are at the base of the petiole. The same afiinity exists with 

 8apindacece, in which also the claw of the petals is glandular or velvety, and which scarcely differ save 

 in their capsular or samaroid fruit and their exalbuminous seed. Urythro:i'yle(e also approach Geraniacece 

 in their persistent calyx, hypogynism and diplostemonous petals, more or less distinct styles, and 

 stipulate leaves ; but in Geraniacecu the carpels are nearly free, the fruit is capsular, the embryo is curved 

 and exalbuminous. 



ErythroxylecB inhabit the intertropical regions of the Old and New Worlds. The wood of several 

 species contains a red dye. The young shoots of Erythroxylon areolatum are refreshing : its bark is tonic, 

 and the juice of its leaves is used externally against herpetic, affections. The leaves of E. Coca contain a 

 very volatile stimulating principle, producing in those who chew them an excitement of the nervous 

 system, eagerly sought by the Peruvians, and which they cannot do without when they have acquired the 

 habit. 



XLI. OXALIDE^E. 



(OXALIDB^, I).C. — OXALIDACE^, Lindl.) 



CAiiTX ?)-merous, imbricate. Petals 5, hypogynous, contorted. Stamens double ' 

 the number of the petals. Ovaet ^-celled. Ovules l-seriate, pendulous, anatropous. 

 Styles free. Eeuit a capsule, or rarely a berry. Seeds with abundant albumen. 

 Embeto axile. — Leaves alternate. 



Herbaceous annual or perennial plants, stemless or caulescent, rootstock 

 creeping, bulbous or tuberous, rarely sub-frutescent {Gonnaropsis), very rarely arbo- 

 rescent [Averrhoa). Leaves alternate, petiolate, digitate, rarely pinnate, sometimes 

 appearing simple by suppression of the lateral leaflets ; leaflets spirally coiled when 

 young, sessile or rarely petiolulate, entire, often obcordate, usually closing ab night; 

 stipules 0. Elowbes §, regular, sometimes dimorphous, some perfect, others 

 minute, apetalous ; peduncles axillary or radical, 1 -flowered, or branched in an umbel, 

 raceme, panicle or cyme. Calyx 6-fid or -partite or -phyllous, aestivation imbricate. 

 Petals 5, equal, inserted on the receptacle, longer than the sepals, obtuse, shortly 

 clawed, free, or shortly connate at the base, contorted in aestivation, deciduous. 

 Stamens 10, inserted on the receptacle, connate at the base, the 6 opposite the petals 

 shortest, fertile or antherless {Averrhoa) ; filaments filiform or subulate, flattened ; 

 anthers introrse, 2-celled, ovoid or elliptic, dorsifixed, dehiscence longitudinal. 



