27 
GENERA. 
Ribes, L. Botrycarpum, Rich. Calobotrya, Spach. Rebis, Spach. 
Grossularia, Towyw. Chrysobotrya, Spach. Coreosma, Spach. 
Order XIV. ESCALLONIACE.<E. 
EsCALLONiEiE, R. Brou'u in Franklin's Voyage, 766. (1824.) ; Aug. de St. H. FI. Bras. 3. 92. 
(1833). — Saxifragace^ § 1. Escdlonieae, DC. Prodr. 4. 2. (1830). 
Essential Character. — Calyx superior, 5-toothed. Corolla consisting of 5 petals, 
alternate with the segments of the calyx, from within which they arise, forming by their 
cohesion a tube, but finally separating from each other; aestivation imbricated. Stamens 
arising from the calyx, alternate with the petals ; anthers bursting longitudinally. Disk 
conical, epigynous, plaited, surrounding the base of the style. Ovary inferior, usually 
2-celled, with two large polyspermous placentae in the axis ; style simple ; stigma 2-lobed. 
Fruit capsular, 2-celled, surmounted by the persistent style and calyx, splitting by the sepa- 
ration of the cells at their base. Seeds very numerous and minute ; with a transparent 
membranous integument ; embryo mxxmtQ, in a mass of oily albumen, its radicle opposite the 
hilum. — Shrubs with alternate, toothed, resinously glandular, exstipulate leaves, and axil- 
lary conspicuous 
Anomalies. In Escallonia canescens the embryo is nearly as long as the albumen 
{Aug.De St. H.). 
Affinities. By De Candolle and others, these plants are either consider- 
ed a section of Saxifragaceee or are placed in the immediate vicinity of that order ; 
an opinion which is founded upon their inferior polyspennous fruit, composed 
of two cai*pels, their polypetalous flowers with a small number of stamens, and 
some similarity in their habit as compared with Cunoniaceee, which are also 
often referred to Saxifragaceie. By other writers they are contrasted with 
Ericaceae and Vaccinaceae, and I think for equally w’eighty reasons they might 
be placed near Melastomaceae, with which their inferior fruit, polypetalous 
flowers, and the remarkable cup-shaped epigynous disk of Escallonia in some 
degree assimilate them. Brown, however, long since demonstrated the neces- 
sity of considering them closely allied to Grossulaceae, from which, indeed, 
they are hardly known, except by their oily albumen, dry fruit with central 
placentae, and cohering petals. Of that order they must therefore of necessity 
foUow the station. From Bruniaceae they are known, firstly, by their broad 
leaves, lax inflorescence and larger flowers ; and secondly, by their many- seeded 
fruit ; but if we search for further points of difference, w^e shall hardly find 
them, for the epigynous disk of Escallonia does not appear to be universal in 
the order of that name, and the dicarpellary structure of the fruit, on ac- 
count chiefly of which, and the final divergence of the styles, Escalloniaceae are 
placed near or in Saxifragaceae, affords an equally strong reason for placing Bru- 
niaceae in the same place. In short, Bruniaceae appear to be a slightly deve- 
loped fonn of Escalloniaceae. 
Geography. All found in the temperate parts of the world, especially 
South America. In countries near the equator belonging to the west side of 
America, EscaUonias grow at the prodigious elevation of 6,600 to 14,760 feet, 
and there with Oaks and Drymis, they form a vegetable region fHumholdtJ. 
They are even found as far southward as the Straits of Magellan. (A. de St. 
H.J A few species of the order occur in the Isle of Bourbon, and the southern 
parts of Australia. 
Properties. Unknown. Handsome shrubs, with evergreen leaves, which 
have often a poweifful odour. 
