STYRACACEAE 
59 8 
is Mediterranean, and its presence there may perhaps be referred to 
Tertiary times, from whose strata various fossil S. have been obtained. 
Shrubs and trees with alt. simple leaves, usually entire and often 
leathery. Infl. usually racemose, with no bracteoles. Fir. g , regular. 
K (5 — 4); C (5 — 4), often nearly polypetalous ; A twice as many as 
petals, in one whorl, united at base or into a tube, with narrow or 
linear, rarely round anthers; G (3 — 5), 3 — 5-loc. below, i-loc. above, 
with 1 or few pendulous anatropous ovules in each loc. ; style simple, 
stigma capitate or lobed. Fruit drupaceous, with fleshy or dry 
dehiscent pericarp, and one or few seeds. Embryo straight, in 
endosperm. Chief genera : Halesia, Styrax. For distinction between 
S. and Symplocaceae, see the latter order. The absence of latex 
distinguishes S. from Sapotaceae, the $ firs, from Ebenaceae. Placed 
in Ebenales by Benth. -Hooker, in Diospyrinae by Warming. 
Styrax (Tourn.) Linn. Styracaceae. 60 sp. with distribution of order. 
S. officinale L. yields storax, a resin much used in ancient times. S. 
Benzoin Dryand. (Sumatra, &c.) yields the fragrant resin gum-ben- 
zoin, obtained by cutting notches in the bark. It is used medicinally 
and for incense. 
Suaeda Forsk. Chenopodiaceae (9). 40 sp. universal, on the sea- 
coast, and in salt steppes (p. 169). Herbs with fleshy leaves and 
dense cymes of firs. S. maritima Dum., the sea-blite, is common on 
the Brit, coast, and S. fruticosa Forsk. is also found. 
Subularia Ray ex Linn. Cruciferae (11. 5). r sp. Abyss, and 1 sp. in 
Eur. (incl. Brit.), As., N. Am., S. aquatica L., the awl-wort. It 
grows at the margin of lakes, usually submerged, and has long narrow 
leaves, nearly circular in section (p. 160.) The firs, may project 
above the water and open, or may remain submerged, in which case 
they fertilise themselves in the bud. This plant is one of the few 
aquatic annuals. 
Succisa Neck. = Scabiosa Tourn. S. pratensis Moench = Scabiosa Succisa. 
Succowia Medic. Cruciferae (11. 9). 1 sp. W. Medit., Teneriffe. 
Swainsona Salisb. Leguminosae (ill. 6). 30 sp. Austr., N. Z., 
Siberia. 
Swartzia Schreb. ( Tounatea Aubl.). Leguminosae (11. 9). 60 sp. 
trop. Am., 1 trop. Afr. 
Swertia Linn. Gentianaceae (1. 3). 70 sp. Eur., As., Afr., Am. 
S, perennis L. is often cultivated. The corolla-segments bear each 
2 nectaries on the upper side, consisting of little pits covered with 
hairs. 
Swietenia Jacq. Meliaceae. 3 sp. trop. Am., incl. S. Mahogoni Jacq., 
the mahogany, a valuable timber tree. 
Sympetalae (Engler, Warming). The higher division of Dicotyledons 
(pp. 130, 137 and cf. 91). 
Symphoricarpos Dill, ex Juss, Caprifoliaceae (ill). 8 sp. N. Am. 
S. racemosns Michx. is the snowberry of shrubberies. The pendulous 
