THE PLANE TREE FAMILY. 



215 



simple alternate leaves, generally of a resinous nature. The 

 flowers are small and inconspicuous, producing a berried 

 drupe coated with a waxy secretion affording an excellent 

 wax, which is extensively collected from the different species 

 in the countries where they grow, and used for making 

 candles. They are natives of North and South America, the 

 Cape of Good Hope, and India. The Sweet Gale Bog Myrtle 

 or Candleberry Myrtle {Myrica Gale) is a well known fra- 

 grant shrub, growing in boggy places in this country. My- 

 rica Nagi^ a native of Japan, bears a fruit similar to that of 

 the strawberry tree, known by the name of Yangmce. The 

 plant has lately been introduced to this country. 



The Liquidambar Family. 



(Altingiace^.) 



Deciduous trees with lobed glandular toothed leaves fur- 

 nished with stipules. Flowers in catkins. Fruits united, 

 forming a cone of hard scales, containing 2-celled, 2-lobed 

 capsules, with winged seeds. 



This small family is represented by not more than three 

 known species. Liquidamhar Styracijlua, a moderate-sized 

 tree, native of North America, and L. orientale, often called 

 L. imberbe, a native of Syria and southern parts of Eastern 

 Europe. Both yield the gum storax of commerce, the chief 

 supply coming from ports in the Mediterranean. L. Altingia, 

 native of the Malayan Archipelago, also yields liquid storax. 



The Plane Tree Family. 



(Platanace^.) 



Large trees with lobed palmate deciduous leaves, furnished 

 with sheathing stipules. Flowers in bisexual catkins. Fruits 

 united in globose, pendulous heads, consisting of a mass of 

 woolly scales, in which the small one-seeded nut fruits are 

 imbedded. 



