73 
it were imperfectly known. Oncoba connects the order with Flacourtiaceae, and 
seems equally allied to both ; it also joins both that and this present order to 
Passifloracese by the genus Smeathmannia, with which it accords in habit. 
Geography. All natives of the hotter parts of America, or of the islands 
of the Mauritius. 
Properties. Bixa yields the substance known to the English by the name 
of Amotto, and to the French by that of Rocou. It is the pulp that en- 
velopes the seeds, and which is slightly purgative and stomachic. Farmers 
use it to stain their cheeses, and dyers for a reddish colour. The bark of 
Ludia is said to be emetic : but it is uncertain whether that genus does not be- 
long to Homaliaceae. 
GENERA. 
Echinocarpus, Blume. Oncoba, Forsk. 
Bixa, L. 
Abatia, R. et P. 
Banara, Aubl. 
Laetia, L. 
Thamnia, R. Br. 
Lundia, Thonn. 
Prockia, L. 
Lightfootia, Sw. 
Kuhlia, H. B. K. 
Ludia, Lam. 
Ascra, Schott. Dasyanthera, Presl. 
Trichospermum, Blum.Christannia, Presl. 
Azara, R. et P. Mayna, Aubl. 
Lindackeria, Presl. Piparea, Aubl. 
Group IV. 
Essential Character. — Calyx incompletely whorled, two of the sepals being exte- 
rior. PlacentcB not parietal in the ovary. Fruit never inferior. Albumen if present, of 
nearly the same capacity as the embryo. 
The natural orders collected under this head, seem to have some common 
bond of union, which separates them from the remainder of the series ; whe- 
ther that bond depends upon some peculiarity in the calyx or in any other 
organ. It must be confessed that the structure of the calyx, upon which I rely 
for my distinction, is sometimes, especially when the fruit is nearly full grown, 
but little appreciable, and yet I think it is capable of practical application in all 
cases, if it be remembered that plants with parietal placentae in the ovary, or 
inferior fruit, are excluded from this group. For example, Sauvagesieae have 
a complete calycose structure, but their ovary has parietal placentation, and 
therefore the sub-order belongs to the parietal group. In the Cistal alliance 
are comprehended the lowest forms of the calycose group, and it is here 
that we pass on the one hand into the Ranal alliance of the albuminous 
group through Cistus and Dendromecon ; and on the other into the Malval 
alliance of the Syncarpous group through Linaceae, Hugoniacese, and Malva- 
ceae. Polygalaceae seem to form one of the connections of this group with the 
last through Violaceae, and with the Apocarpous group through Leguminosae. 
Alliance I. GUTTALES, 
Essential Character. — Stamens indefinite in number. Albumen absent in the seeds. 
Petals equal in number to the sepals. 
This may be considered the highest form of the calycose group. The leaves 
in almost all the genera are opposite, and of a firm texture with a smooth sur- 
face, and the flowers are large and showy. This alliance differs from the 
Theal in the general tendency to a uniformity in number between the sepals and 
