412 



LXXXVII. BALSAMIFLU^. 



Liquidainbar. 



Transverse section of 



g catkin. 



Liquidarribar. 



Vertical section of a portion of 



Q catkin (mag.)> 



Llquidanibar. 



Stigmas and abortive 



anthers (mag.)- 



lAquidambar. 



Yertical section of 



ovary (mag.). 



Flowers monoecious, in catkins or capiiula. Pekianth single or 0. Stamejts 

 numerous. ? YiiOWERS with a single accrescent perianth. Ovaries connate, 2- celled; 

 STYLES 2 ; OVULES numerous, suh-anatropous. Fruit compound, of several 2-valved 

 capsules. Seeds (fertile), elliptic, peltate, albuminous. Embryo axile; radicle 

 superior. — Stem woody. Leaves alternate. Stipules caducous. Juice resinous. 



Trees with alternate branches, balsamic juices exuding from their bark. 

 Leaves alternate, petioled, entire or lobed, with glandular teeth, edges of the lobes 

 folded inwards before expansion ; stipules fugacious ; floral huds terminal, scaly, 

 preceding the leaves. Flowers monoecious, in catkins or unisexual capitula ; hracts 

 4, caducous. ^ Flowers achlamydeous, composed of stamens agglomerated between 

 the bracts of the capitula. Anthers pyramidal-linear, 4-angular, with 2 opposite 

 cells ; ^Zamewis short orO. ? Flowers: Calyx infundibuliform, entire or glandular- 

 lobed. Petals 0. Stamens sterile, often 4-9, inserted around the top of the calyx. 

 Ovary semi-inferior, with 2 antero-posterior cells, many-ovuled; styles 2, linear, 

 pointed, recurved, papillose on their inner face ; ovules sub-anatropous, inserted in 2 

 rows at the inner angle of each cell. Capsules connate by their edges, septieidal 

 above the middle. Seeds few, or solitary by arrest, the arrested ones numerous, 

 deformed ; the fertile sub-peltate, elliptic, membranous, or shortly winged towards the 

 top ; albumen thin. Embryo axile ; cotyledons flat ; radicle short, superior. 



ONLY GENUS. 

 * Liquidambar. 



BahmnifliuB are connected -with Platanecs (see this family) and Hamamelideee, to which they are 

 joined by Bentham ; they differ in their inflorescence and aggregate fruit. Liqwidamhar also ap- 

 proaches Sali&netB, and especially the Poplars, in inflorescence, diclinous achlamydeous and polyandrous 

 flowers, many-ovuled ovary, capsular fruit, woody stem, and stipulate leaves ; but Salicinece are dioecious, 

 the ovary is one-celled, with parietal placentatiou, the ovules anatropous, and the funicle hairy. But 

 four species are at present known of Liquidambar: — L. Altingia, a gigantic tree, forms vast forests in Java, 

 Asia, New Guinea, &c., under the names of JRosa-mallos, JRassa-mala, &c. L. orientale, a small tree 

 resembling a Maple, inhabits the isle of Cyprus and Asia Minor. Z. niacrophylla and slyradflua grow 

 in North America [another is Chinese]. L. styraeifhia yields [the North American] Liquidambar 

 Balsam, obtained by incisions in the trunk. This balsam contains a tolerable quantity of benzoic acid ; 

 it is of the consistence of a thick oil or of soft pitch. Liquid styrax, a sweet balsam, much used by the 

 Orientals as a perfume, and entering into the composition of several medicaments, is the produce of 

 L. Altingia and perhaps also L. orientale. [The bark of all is a hot, bitter stomachic] 



