225 
Geography. Tropical plants without exception, and common both in 
India and America ; but “ no species has been met with in equinoctial Africa, 
though several exist both at the Cape of Good Hope and in the Canary Is- 
lands.” Brown in Congo, 465. 
Properties. Almost unknown. Generally handsome shrubs, with fine 
evergreen leaves. Bread is said to be prepared from the pounded seeds of 
Theophrasta Jussiaei in St. Domingo, where it is called Le Petit Coco. Hamilt. 
Prodr. p. 27. A slight degree of pungency exists in the berries of Embelia 
Ribes, and some others ; Cathartic properties are ascribed to those of Embe- 
lia robusta, Myrsine bifaria. Royles Illustr. 265. 
GENERA. 
§ 1. ^Egicere^, a. DC. 
iEgiceras, Gaertn. 
§ 2. Ardisiea;, A. DC. 
Wallenia, Swz. 
Weigeltia, A. DC. 
Conomorpha, A. DC. 
Cybianthus, Mart. 
Myrsine, L. 
Romeria, Thunb. 
Samara, Swz. 
Scleroxylum, W. 
Rapanea, Aubl. 
Cahalleria, R. et P. 
Mang'Hlla, Juss. 
Athurophyllum,LouT 
Badula, Juss. 
Barthesia, Commers, 
Oncostemum, Adr. J. 
Ardisia, Swz. 
Icacorea, Aubl. 
Anguillaria, Gaertn. 
Bladhia, Thunb. 
Pyrgus, Lour. 
Othera, Thunb. 
, Embelia, Juss. 
Choripetalum, A. DC. 
? Corynocarpus, Forst. 
Samara, L. 
§ 3. MiESEiE, A. DC. 
Maesa, Forsk. 
Bceohotrys, Forst. 
Sibouratia, Thouars. 
§ 4. TUEOPHRASTEiE, 
Bartl. 
Malaspinaea, Presl. 
Oncinus, Lour. 
Jacquinia, L. 
Bonellia, Bert. 
Theophrasta, L. 
Eresia, PI. 
Leonia, R. P. 
Clavija, R. P. 
Order CLXXI. SAPOTACE^. The Sappodilla Tribe. 
Sapot^, Juss. Gen. 151. (1789). — Sapote^, R. Brown Prodr. 528. (1810). — 
Sapotace^, Endl. Prodr. Norf.4S. (1833). 
Essential Character. — Flowers hermaphrodite. Calyx divided, regular, persistent. 
Corolla monopetalous, hypogynous, regular, deciduous, its segments usually equal in num- 
ber to those of the calyx, seldom twice or thrice as many. Stamens arising from the corolla, 
definite, distinct, the fertile ones equal in number to the segments of the calyx, and opposite 
those segments of the corolla which alternate with the latter, seldom more. Anthers usually 
turned outwards ; the sterile stamens as numerous as the fertile ones, with which they 
alternate, sometimes absent. Ovary with several cells, in each of which is 1 erect ovule. Style I . 
Stigma undivided, occasionally lobed. Fruit baccate with several 1 -seeded cells, or by 
abortion with only 1. Seeds nut-like, sometimes cohering into a several-celled putamen. 
Testa bony, shining, its inner face opaque and softer than the rest. Embryo erect, large, 
white, usually enclosed in fleshy albumen. Cotyledons, when albumen is present, foliaceous; 
when absent, fleshy and sometimes connate. Radicle short, straight, or a little curved, 
turned towards the hilum. Plumule inconspicuous. — Trees or shrubs, chiefly natives of 
the tropics, and abounding in milky juice. Leaves alternate, without stipules, entire, 
coriaceous. Inflorescence axillary. 
Affinities. This order is certainly near Ebenaceae, with which it agrees 
in habit, arborescent stem, alternate entire leaves, and axillary inflorescence ; 
and moreover in its monopetalous regular hypog}Tious corolla, the absence of 
a hypogynous disk, an ovary with several cells, and definite ovules and sta- 
mens. The two orders, however, differ in several points. Sapotaceae have 
usually a milky juice, and their wood is among the softer kinds ; their flowers 
are always hermaphrodite, the segments of the calyx and corolla are often 
placed in a double row ; their stamens are always in a single row, the fertile 
ones rarely more numerous than the segments of the calyx, and opposite the 
divisions of the corolla ; their style is undivided ; the cells of the ovary are always 
1 -seeded, with erect ovules ; the testa is thick and bony ; the embryo is large 
with respect to the fleshy albumen, which is sometimes deficient ; the radicle 
Q 
