Page:Illustrations of Indian Botany, Vol. 1.djvu/368

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ILLUSTRATIONS OF INDIAN BOTANY. distributed the order, each of which may, in some measure, be looked upon as a distinct order, and is so viewed by both Bartling and Lindley,

"Suborder 1. Anacardieae (Br.) Flowers usually unisexual. Calyx usually small, 5- (sometimes 3-4-7-) cleft; the fifth segment superior. Corolla regular. Petals equal in number to the divisions of the calyx (sometimes wanting), perigynous : aestivation imbricative or rarely valvular. Stamens equal in number to the petals and alternate with them, or twice as many or more : filaments distinct or cohering at the base, perigynous. Torus (in the free ovary) fleshy, usually discoid (annular or lobed or cup shaped), or at first inconspicuous but afterwards enlarged into a gynophore. Ovarium solitary (of 1-5 carpels, distinct or united, but all abortive except one) free, or rarely adhering to the calyx, I -celled (or sometimes with two additional abortive cells, the remains of the imperfect carpels) : ovule solitary, attached to a podosperm which always arises from the base of the cell, but is frequently adnate to one of its sides to near the apex: styles usually 3 (or occasionally 4), rarely 5, usually distinct, very rarely combined: stigmas as many. Fruit l-ce!led, indehiscent, usually drupaceous. Seed ascending, or more frequently pendulous. Albumen none. Radicle superior or inferior, next the hilum (very rarely at the opposite extremity) sometimes curved suddenly back : cotyledons thick and fleshy or leafy. Trees or shrubs, with a resinous, gummy, caustic, or milky juice. Leaves alternate, not dotted, without stipules."

Suborder 2. Spondleae (Kunth.) Flowers sometimes unisexual. Calyx 5-cleft, regular. Petals 5, equal ; aestivation between valvate and imbricate. Stamens 10, perigynous, distinct. Torus large, discoid. Ovarium superior, sessile, 2-5-celled : ovules solitary, pendulous : styles, 5 short : stigmas obtuse. Fruit drupaceous, 2-5 celled. Seed solitary in each cell. Albumen none. Radicle pointing to the hilum : cotyledons plano-convex. — Trees. Leaves imparipinnate, alternate, not dotted, exstipulate.

Suborder^. Bursereae (Kunth.) Flowers usually bisexual. Calyx persistent, somewhat regular, 2 5 divided. Petals 3-5. equal : aestivation usually valvular. Stamens two or four times as many as petals, distinct, perigynous. Torus orbicular. Ovarium 2-5 celled, superior, ses^i'e : ovules in pairs, collateral, suspended : style one or none : stigma simple or lobed. Fruit rarely a hard capsule; usually drupaceous, 2 5 celled, its outer portion or sarcocarp often split- ting into valves. Seed solitary. Albumen none. Radicle straight, superior, next the hilum : cotyledons fleshy, or wrinkled and plaited. — Trees or shrubs abounding in balsam, gum, or resin. Leaves alternate, usually, not dotted, generally with stipules.

Supposing the order broken up in the manner proposed by Brown, Lindley, Bartling, and others, then the various orders into which it is divided stand in a nearly equal relationship to each other. In addition to these affinities Spondiaceae associates, according to Lindley, with Meliaceae and Aurantiaceae in the imbricated aestivation of the calyx and in having more than four carpels, but are distinguished by their perigynous stamens ; while Bur- seraceae are allied to Rhamneae in the valvate aestivation of their calyx and in having fewer than four carpels. Anacardiaceae and Amyrideae differ from each other the absence of pel- lucid or glandular dots in the leaves of the former, while they are present in the latter. By this last character Amyrideae associate with Aurantiaceae, Rutaceae, and Zanthoxylaceae, with which they are still further associated by their hypogynous stamens.

The order in its most extended sense may be said to be of tropical origin, a few species only of Pistacia and Rhus being found in the south of Europe, in the warmer parts of North America and the Cape of Good Hope. Within the tropics, and in the warmer latitudes on either side, they are of frequent occurrence in Asia, Africa, and America; while a very few are met within Australia. Of the number of genera enumerated by Meisner, excluding Connaracecie, amounting to about 65 (many of which are marked with a doubt as to their right to a place in it) the peninsular flora contains about 1G or quarter of the whole, and probably more will be found when the country is better explored. But of that long list of genera we have only 23 species, that is, including Pegia, which we have not introduced into our flora. Wallich's list is very imperfect as regards this order, including only about 25 species. Blume has 23 for Java, excluding Zanthox ylaceae which he includes in the order.

These are abundantly varied but for the most part dependent on