Page:Illustrations of Indian Botany, Vol. 1.djvu/333

ILLUSTRATIONS OF INDIAN BOTANY.

165 sarcocarp and endocarp combined. Seeds by abortion, often fewer than the ovules, pendulous or adnate. Embryo contained in the fleshy albumen : radicle superior : cotyledons flat. — Leaves exstipulate (except in Peganum), alternate (except in Cyminosma), simple, or deeply lobed, or rarely pinnated, usually with pellucid dots."

This order is so nearly allied to those among which it is placed that most Botanists consider them alias forming either a class or one order divisible into so many suborders. These are Zygophylleae, Ruieae, Diosmeae, Zanthoxylleae, and Simarubeae, to which perhaps Connaraceae and Ochnaceae might be added as both possess the gynobasic structure and other characters associating them with this group or alliance, though differing in many others which it is necessary to take into account in determining affinities.

Every quarter of the globe boasts of members of this family. • Europe has species of Peganum Rata and Aplopkyllum. India has, in addition to these, Cyminosma, all referable to the first section Ruteae : while to the 2d section, Diosmeae, a species of Didamnus is found in each.

The Diosmeae abound about the Cape of Good Hope, in South America, and in New Hol- land. Most of these being handsome flowering shrubs some of them might be advantageously introduced into India, as the climates of which they are natives sufficiently accords with that of this country to hold out the prospect of success in any such attempt.

Bitterness and a strong heavy odour are the prominent peculiarities of most of the species of this order. In Europe the common rue is employed, but now only to a limited extent, in medicine. The Diosmas or Bucka plants of the Cape are well known on account of their very offensive smell : they are used there as Antispasmodics. Some of the American species are esteemed very powerful febrifuges, especially the Angustura bark, the produce of Cusparia febrifuga, one of the Diosmeae. There are several other American species celebrated for the possession of similar properties, but to which it is useless to allude here where they are quite unknown.

Under this head I have nothing to offer as I only know three or four species, and none of them call any remark.

1. Cyminosma pedunculata — natural size.

2. An expanded flower.

3. A petal.

4. Stamens.

5. Ovary cut vertically.

tj. transversely.

7. A fruit not quite mature — natural site.

8. cut transversely, to show its 4 cells,

9. A seed — natural size.

10. The same.

11. Testa removed.

12. Cut longitudinally, showing the embryo and albumen in situ.

13. Embryo removed, foliaceous — all, with the excep- tions mentioned, more or less magnified.

 

As stated above, this is viewed by most Botanists as merely a section or suborder of Rulaceae, but is certainly an interesting one, including many genera, yet, all so intimately united that it becomes exceedingly difficult to determine their limits. Though in a great measure of tropical origin the Peninsular flora embraces but few representatives, our list in the Prodromus only extending^, including Ailanthus, to seven species ranged under three genera, namely, Xan- ihoxylum, Toddalia and Ai.lant.hus, Mergui and Malacca have Brucea in addition. One addi- tional genus may however be required for the Peninsular species. Generally the species are either trees or shrubs, sometimes scandent, frequently armed with strong prickles, having, usually, compound leaves pierced with numerous transparent oily glands, like thos3 of Aurantiaceae, and numerous aggregated small, generally, unisexual flowers : that is, male flowers furnished 