262 ORDER XXXT. MELIACE.E. 



Genus II— TIL'IA. L. 12—1. 

 (Latin name of the genus.) 



Sepals 5, united at the base, deciduous. Petals 5. Sta~ 

 mens numerous, hypogynous. Ovary 5-celled, with 2 ovules in 

 each cell, globose. Fruit ligneous or coriaceous, sometimes 

 only 1-celled, 1 — 2-seeded. Trees with simple, alternate, cor- 

 date leaves. Flowers with the peduncle attached to an oblong, 

 foliaceous bract. 



1. T. America na, (L.) A large, beautiful tree, with light, soft, white 

 wood. Leaves obliquely-cordate, nearly orbicular, glabrous, somewhat 

 coriaceous. Flowers in axillary cymes. Sepals lanceolate, pubescent 

 without, woody within. Petals truncated at the summit, longer than 

 the sepals. Fruit small, covered with a grayish pubescence. — Yellow- 

 ish. ^ . May — June. On the coast, from Penu. to Geo. 20 — 60 feet. 



2. T. al'ba, (Mich.) Leaves cordate, glabrous, pubescent beneath, 

 sparingly toothed. Flowers in loose panicles. Petals emarginate. 

 Styles longer than the petals. — Yellowish. *? . May — June. On the 

 coast, from Penu. to Geo. 30 — 50 feet. 



3. T. tubes'cens, (Ait.) Trees with young branches pubescent, old 

 ones glabrous. Leaves alternate, cordate, glabrous on the upper sur- 

 face, pubescent beneath, serrate, slightly mucionate. Floivers with the 

 sepals scarcely united, deciduous, lanceolate, acute, tomentose. Petals 

 lanceolate, longer than the calyx, crenulate at the summit. — Yellow. 

 *i . May — June. Fertile soils. Low and middle country. 20 — 60 

 feet. 



Order XXXV.— MELIA'CE^. Juss. 



Sepals 5, united at the base, with an imbricate aestivation. 

 Petals 5, hypogynous, longer than the sepals, often cohering at 

 the base or attached to the stamen tube. Stamens usually 10, 

 usually with united filaments. Anthers sessile, within the ori- 

 fice of the tube. Ovary 5-celled, 1 — 2 ovules in each cell. 

 Fruit capsular, 5-celled, 1-seeded. Seeds mostly anatropous ; 

 cotyledons foliaceous ; albumen fleshy. 



Genus I.— MEL'IA. L. 10—1. 



(The Greek Dame for Ash ; resemblance to it in its leaves.) 



1. M. Azeda'rach, (L.) A medium-sized tree, with thick, spreading 

 branches. Leaves bipinnate ; leaflets smooth, about 5 together, ob- 

 liquely ovate-lanceolate, toothed. Flowers in axillary panicles. Pet- 

 ah glabrous or very slightly pubescent. 



This tree, although a native of Persia, has become naturalized in the Southern 

 States. It affords a good shade, and is not subject to the attacks of insects. The bark 

 of the root has been used as a vermifuge, administered in decoction. It possesses 

 narcotic properties, and should be followed by some cathartic medicine. 





