516 



DOMESTIC BOTANY. 



(DlLLENIACE^,) 



Trees or small shrubs, sometimes twiners, rarely herbs. 

 Leaves alternate, rarely opposite, in the trees large, with 

 strong lateral, parallel veins, often articulated with the petiole, 

 which is permanent, after the leaf has fallen ; in some the 

 leaves are very small, even heath-like. Flowers yellow, soli- 

 tary, or in terminal racemes. Sepals and petals 5 each. 

 Stamens numerous, free, or united in several parcels. Fruit 

 capsular ; dry or succulent. 



About 200 species are enumerated of this family, natives 

 chiefly of India and Australia ; they are also represented 

 in Tropical America ; but few are found in Africa. 



Dillenia speciosa. A handsome tree, with large ribbed 

 leaves, native of India, and of the Malay Islands. The wood 

 is hard and tough, the fruit and calyx are fleshy, being of an 

 acid flavour, and used by the natives in cooling drinks, curries, 

 and the like. The fruit of D. scahrella^ a smaller tree, is used 

 for the same purposes. 



Another species, D. pentagyna^ is also common throughout 

 India, and remarkable for its large leaves, which, in young 

 trees, sometimes measure as much as 4 or 5 feet in length. 



Wormia excelsa. A large tree, native of Java and the 

 Malayan Peninsula. It has a hard wood, which is compared 

 to oak. 



Tetracera potatoria. A climbing plant, native of Sierra 

 Leone. It is called the Water Tree, on account of its stem 

 when cut yielding a quantity of water. 



Delima sarmentosa. Also a climber, widely distributed, 

 from Ceylon, throughout India, eastward, and through the 

 Malay Islands. The leaves are from 2 to 5 inches long, and 

 are in common use as sand paper. The Australian section 

 is represented in the greenhouses of this country by species 

 of Hibhertia, Candollea, Hemistemma and others, Hihhertia 

 voluhilis being an old inhabitant, and well known for its 

 large yellow foetid flowers. 



