123 
appendages of the petals, the presence of albumen, the fruit being often 1 -celled 
by abortion, and the peculiar habit. DC. But there do not appear to be pe- 
culiarities enough for more than a sub-division of Malpighiaceae. 
Geography. Chiefly West Indian and South American. A few are found 
in the East Indies, and several in the Mauritius and Madagascar. 
Properties. The wood of some is bright red ; that of E. hypericifolium 
is called in the Isle of France Bois d'huile. A permanent reddish brown dye 
is obtained from the bark of Erythroxylum suberosum, called in Brazil Gallinha 
choca and Mercurio do campo. PI. Us. 69. 
Erythroxylon Coca is a plant much used by the miners of Peru for its re- 
markable power in stimulating the nervous system, in which respect it much 
resembles opium. Its leaves are chewed with a small mixture of finely pow- 
dered chalk. No efiects that have been ascribed to the immoderate use of 
opium are exceeded by what seems the consequence of chewing the Coca leaf. 
See a curious account of this plant in Poppig's reise in Chile, vol 2. translated ; 
in Hooker s Companion to the Bot. Mag. vol. 1. p. 161. 
GENERA. 
Erythroxylum, L. 
Sethia, H. B. K. 
Alliance V. SILENALES, 
Essential Character. — Embryo rolled round mealy albumen; or, if this is not the 
case, herbaceous plants with the joints of the stem tumid ; or with scales replacing leaves 
upon rod-like branches. Almost all herbs or small shrubs. 
The lowest form of the Syncarpous group ; and apparently a degeneration 
of Malvales, with which the genera accord in the general appearance of the 
flowers, and sometimes, as in lUecebracese, in the highly developed stipules. 
The alliance touches closely upon the Gynobaseous group by Silenacese, which 
agree with Geraniacese in their tumid nodi, &c. Illecebracese and Alsinacese 
may be considered part of the connection between Polypetalous and Incomplete 
orders, agreeing in some respects with Chenopodiaceae among the latter. Ta- 
maricaceae difier from the essential character in having the embryo straight, 
and without albumen, instead of being rolled round mealy albumen. Yet the 
mass of its affinities seems to fix that order where it at present stands. 
Order XCIII. PORTULACACE^. The Purslane Tribe. * 
PoRTULACEiE, Juss. Gcu. 313. (1789) in part ; A. St. HU. Mem. Plac. Cent. 42. (1815) ; 
DC. Prodr. 3. 351. (1828) ; Lindl. Synops. 62. (1829) ; DC. Mem. dela Soc. d’Hist. 
Nat. de Paris, (Aug. 1827). 
Essential Character. — Sepals 2, seldom 3 or 5, cohering by the base. Petals gene- 
rally 5, occasionally 3, 4, or 6, either distinct or cohering in a short tube, sometimes want- 
ing. Stamens inserted along with the petals irregularly into the base of the calyx or 
hypogynous, variable in number, all fertile, sometimes opposite the petals ; filaments dis- 
tinct; an?/im versatile, with 2 cells, opening lengthwise. Omry superior, 1 -celled ; 
single, or none; stigmas several, much divided. Capsule 1 -celled, dehiscing either trans- 
versely or by 3 valves, occasionally 1 -seeded and indehiscent. Seeds numerous, if the 
