RUTACE^. 1S3 



The only species possessing- any claim to be specially mentioned as an 

 inhabitant of the Gangetic Plain is I. Balsamina Linn, from which the ■ 

 numerous varieties of the ordinary ' Garden Balsam ' have originated. 

 In Dehra Dun, and in other parts of the Upper Gangetic area, it 

 has become naturalized as an escape from cultivation, or self-sown 

 from seeds washed down from the hills. Six varieties are mentioned in 

 the Fl. Brit. Ind., one of which, var. rosea, occurs plentifully as a wild 

 plant on the lower slopes of the Western Himalaya. The seeds of this 

 and of other species are eaten, and the oil which they contain is used as 

 food, as well as for burning. 



XXVIII.— RUTACE^. 



Teees or shrubs (sometimes climbing), rarely herbs, abounding in 

 pellucid glands filled with essential oil. Leaves opposite or alternate, 

 simple or compound, exstipulate. Floivers in axillary or terminal 

 cymes or panicles, never spiked, usually bisexual and regular (in the 

 Indian species). Calyx of 4-5 small lobes. Petals 4-5, hypogynous 

 (in the Indian genera), valvate or imbricate. Stamens usually defi- 

 nite (many in Citrus and ^gle) ; filaments usually free, hypogynous; 

 anthers 2-celled, opening inwards. iJisk within the stamens, crenate 

 or lobed, sometimes large or elongated. Ovary of 4-5 free or connate 

 carpels; styles as many, free or variously united; stigmas terminal, 

 entire or lobed ; ovules usually 2 in each cell. Fruit a capsule, berry 

 or drupe, or of 1-4 capsular cocci. Seeds usually solitary in the cells ; 

 albumen fleshy or 0. A large and important family widely distributed 

 over the warmer parts of the world and abundantly represented in S. 

 Africa and Australia. Some of the species are extremely bitter, 

 others contain a large amount of aromatic oil found in the pellucid 

 glands which are so characteristic of this family. 



Flowers 1-eexual or polygamous, seeds albu- 

 minous. 



Fruit of distinct dehiscent cocci. A prickly 

 tree .... . . 1. Zanthoxtlum,. 



Fruit syncarpous, indehiscent. 



Leaves 3-foliolate, stamens 5. A prickly scan- 

 dent shrub ' . .2. Todd alia. 



Leaves 1-foliolate, stamens 8, A small un- 

 armed tree . 3. Acronychia, 



Flowers 2-sexual (in Feronia of ten polygamous) , 

 seeds without albumen. 

 Unarmed, leaves pinnate. 

 Ovules solitary in each cell . , . .4. Gltcosmis,- 



