NATUEAL ORDERS. 
255 
and large, attached to the axis, with or without albumen , em- 
hryo straight, bent, or folded back. 
a. Properties : the leaves of Tea contain a peculiar extracti'^e matter and a some- 
what stimulant ethereal oil. 
Geneea. — Gordonia, Stuartia, Thea, Camellia, Malachodendron. 
424. AuRANTiACE^, the Orange Tribe. — Trees or shrubs 
Leaves alternate, compound, destitute of stipules, dotted. Ca- 
lyx short, urceolate or campanulate. Petals 3-5, aestivation im- 
bricate. Stamens as many as the petals, or some multiple of 
their number, distinct, or combined in several parcels. Ova>ry 
free; style cylindrical; stigma thick. Fruit a many-celled 
berry, with a leathery rind filled with pulp. Seeds without 
albumen. 
a. Properties : the rind abounds in a volatile oil, and an aromatic bitter principle. 
Geneea. — Citrus, Limonia. 
425. Meliace^. — Trees or shrubs. Leaves alternate, usually 
compound, without stipules. Sejoals 3-5, more or less united. 
Petals as many as the sepals. Stamens twice as many as the 
petals ; filaments cohering in a long tube ; anthers sessile with- 
in the orifice of the tube. Ovary several-celled ; ovules 1 or 2 
in each cell ; styles united into one ; stigmas distinct or com- 
bined. Fruit a drupe, berry, or capsule. Seeds 1 in each cell, 
destitute of albumen, wingless. 
a. Properties : bitter, astringent, and tonic. 
Genus. — Melia. 
426. Cedrelace^, the Mahogany Tribe. — Trees with compact, 
fragrant, and beautifully- veined wood. Leaves alternate, com- 
pound, without stipules. Calyx 4 or 5 cleft. Petals 4-5, with 
imbricated aestivation. Stamens 8-10, united below into a tube, 
or distinct and inserted into a hypogynous disk. Ovary 4-5- 
celled ; avules pendulous ; style simple ; stigma ^Qlt2iiQ. Fruit 
a capsule. Seeds winged ; albumen thin or none ; embryo 
straight, erect ; cotyledons fleshy. 
a. Properties : plants of this order are bitter, astringent, tonic, and have an aro- 
matic fragrance. 
Genus. — Swietania. 
427. Balsaminace^, the Balsam Tribe. — Herbs with succu- 
lent stems. Leaves simple, without stipules, opposite or alter- 
nate. Flowers irregular, axillary. Sepals 5, irregular, decidu- 
ous, with an imbricated aestivation ; the 2 inner and upper 
connate, colored, the lower or odd sepal spurred or saccate. 
Petals alternate with the sepals, usually 4 in consequence of 
1 being abortive ; estivation convolute. Stamens 5, cohering 
b-v an internal appendage. Ova/ry compound, 5-celled ; stigina^ 
