XXX—OLACINEÆ.
A small order, nearly confined to the tropics, consisting for the most part of shrubs or
small trees, often climbing or diffuse, more rarely erect, and armed with spines. The leaves
are exstipulate, alternate, simple, petioled, undivided and entire : more rarely as in Balanitesy
bifoliolate. The flowers are bisexual, or occasionally, by abortion, polygamous, or dioicous,
small, axillary, racemose.
Calyx small, either entire and slightly toothed, oi^5 sepaled,' often, when entire, becoming
enlarged with, the fruit. Petals 3-5-6, either separate or adhering in pairs ; aestivation valvate.
Stamens 3 10, either all fertile, or with alternate sterile ones, hypogynous, often variously united
with the petals, either opposite to them when the flowers are symmetrical, or wholly or .partially
alternate, when unsymmetrical : filaments compressed : anthers oblong, bursting longitudinally.
Ovary 15 celled, with pendulous ovules. Fruit drupacious indéhiscent, occasionally surrounded
by the enlarged calyx, Î-celled, 1-seeded. Seed usually pendulous. Albumen copious,
fleshy. Embryo with the radicle next the hilum.
In Olax, the fertile stamens alternate with the petals and unite them by pairs ; in Xintenia,
and also Opilia, they are opposite the petals, not the sepals in the latter, as stated, through an
oversight of the .authors, in the Flora Senegambiæ, who seem to have overlooked the minute
calyx of that genus. In Gomphandra Wall, (list No. 3718) which seems nearly allied to Ste-
monöous, Blu-me, the stamens equal the petals, and alternate with them, while the flowers are
usually unisexual by abortion.
A f f in it ie s . These are very uncertain, moat authors however agree in adopting DeCan-
dolle’s arrangement, and place them near Auranfiaceoe, with which they unquestionably have
many points of affinity. But on the other hand, the character of the seed of Olacineæ. is so
totally at variance with what we find in Aurantiacece, that it is not easy to reconcile one’s self to
view that as a natural arrangement, which places- plants differing so widely, in so essential an
organ as the seed, side by side. Mr. Brown takes a very different view of their structure.. He considers
them apetalous, viewing the organs called petals by other authors as sepals, and
their sepals as an'involucrum. According to this view of its structure, the order should
occupy a place near Santalaceoeand Thymaleoe, with which it agrees in the character of its
seed. In opposition to this view, it may be stated on the one side, that Balanites which is now
referred to this order has distinct sepals and petals, and on the other, that Ternstraemiaceae,
and especially the genus Ternstræmia has the embryo in the midst-of a copious albumen somewhat
similar to what we find in Opilia, and Balanites. For these reasons, added to the similarity
in various points between the flowers of Ximenia and Balanites, to those of the Aurantiacece,
I do not see that., in the present state of our knowledge of the order, we can assign it a more
suitable place than that which it now occupies, between these two orders, the relationship of
which seems generally admitted.
Geographical Distribution. A s already remarked, the order consists almost entirely of
tropical shrubs or small trees. Though few in number they have a wide range, being met with
with in, or on the confines of the tropics in Asia, Africa, America, and Australia.
In continental India 5 genera are found, and one more from Java, altogether 6 of the 12
genera referred to the order. The continental ones are Olax, Gompandra, Opilia, Ximenia,
and Balanites. Olax is also found on the banks-of the Congo, while the three last are .found in
Senegal, and apparently the same species. Ximenia Americana is common to three quarters
of the globe. Balanites is equally a native of India and of Africa, and has been well described
by Roxburgh under the name of Ximenia Ægyptiaca. Of this genus I possess specimens
and drawings, the latter of which will shortly be published in my leones. The genus
Olax extends from Ceylon northwards to the Himalayas, and from Malabar eastwards to Java,
while Spermaxijrum, a genus scarcely distinct, represents it in New Holland. ,With this almost
unlimited range, in respect to longitude in its distribution over the torrid zone, this order
can scarcely boast of more than 30 known species, about 20 of which are natives of India and
her islands, but this list I feel assured will soon be extended, now that the characters of the
order are becoming better known.
• Properties and Uses. Little is yet known of these. In Ceylon, it is said the leaves of
Olax Zeylanica are used as pot-herbs, and as salads, whence they have received a native name
synonymous, with “ tree salads,” a designation which does not seem limited to one plant, since I
have met with a.very different one in gardens about Madras, under the name of “ Tree Lettuce”
referable to the order JYyctaginece, apparently a species of Pisonia. The rind of the fruit of
Ximenia Americana is described as bitter and astringent, the flesh.as purgative, and the kernel
sweet and pleasant tasted. Roxburgh in his Flora Indica 2 fig. 253, remarks of this shrub.
“ The ripe fruits are eaten raw by the natives : their taste is a compound of sour and bitter,
the kernels are also eaten, and taste much like fresh filberts. The wood is yellow, like sandal,
and its powder is often substituted for that of sandal by the Brahmins in this part of the coast
in their religious ceremonies.” The nut of Balanites Mgyptiaca is covered by a quantity of
soft pulp, not inaptly compared by Roxburgh to soft soap ‘T intensely bitter, and having an offensive
greasy smell.” The nut itself, is exceedingly hard, and is employed in fireworks. For
this purpose a small hole is drilled in it, the kernel extracted, and the shell filled with powder,
when fired it bursts with a loud report. Such is the only use to which it seems to be applied
in India. The authors of the Flora Senegambiee inform us that the flowers are very fragrant,
that the pulp previous to maturity is a strong' purgative, having an acrid bitter taste, exciting
for a long time a burning pain in the throat, but that, when perfectly ripe, it has an agreeable
taste and is eat with pleasure by the Negroes. The wood which is of a yellow colour is very
hard, and in Africa esteemed excellent for making furniture.
Remarks on G enera and S p e c ie s . As above remarked 5 genera of this order are now
known to exist in India, these are Opilia, Olax, Ximenia, Gomphandra, and Balanites, The
first of these, the true place^of which in the natural system was long unknown, was satisfactorily
determined about the same time by Messrs. Guillemin and Perrottet, and by Mr. Arnott and myself,
though we were not aware at. the time that ours was that plant. Of this genus only one
species has yet been found in India, Opilia amentacea Roxburgh, to which our Ximenia olacioides
must be referred, as being founded on a specimen of that plant in fruit, which at the time we
wrote was unknown tous, but which I have at length succeeded in determining by comparison with
specimens in fruit., taken from plants still in flower. Whether the,Senegambian species (Groutea
celtidifolia of the authers of that flora), be the same, I am not quite certain, but think it is
distinct. Of the genus Olax, several 'species are found, both in India and Ceylon, Wallich in
his list enumerates 10 species, but perhaps not all genuine. Ximenia Afnericana is common to
America, the west coast of Africa/#and India; and is remarkable for having its stamens opposed
by pairs to the petals and not alternately opposite, which is the more usual structure. Sfemo-
nurus referred here by Dr. Mei.sner, was established by Blume, in his Javanese Flora, and referred
by him to JSantalaceae, with which it certainly does not associate so well. This genus as
above remarked seems very nearly allied to, if not identical with Wallich’s Gomphandra as
defined by Lindley in his natural system of Botany, page 439, with this difference, that. Wallich’s
plant has 4 in place of 5 or 6 sepals, petals, and stamens, and unisexual in place of usually
bisexual flowers. Of both these genera I now possess specimens, the former from Maulmain,
and the latter from Ceylon, Courtallum, the Pulneys and, elsewhere. In Gomphandra, the
flowers are 4 or 5 petaled, unisexual by abortion, the male ones having rudimentary ovaries
the female ones sterile stamens. The ovaries are 1-celled, with 2 long pendulous ovules, surmounted;
by a very large sessile stigma.
Professor Meisner in his tables distributes the genera under two principal sections, those
with simple, and those with bifoliolate leaves. The first division is further divided into two
sub-sections,- those with fleshy indehiscent fruit, and those having a capsule dehising at the
Iftl sub section has only one genus, and that referred here with a doubt. The
g a in in g genera are then thus disposed^“ Antheriferous stamens fewer than the petals—
Olax, Spermaxyrwn, and Fissilia. The two last are probably not distinct from the first.—
stamens more numerous than the petals without sterile ones, calyx minute, Ximenia, See.—
stamens equalling the number of petals and hypogynous, flowers often unisexual. Stemo-
Kurus, Gomphandraj and Opilia, belong to this section, but are not placed here by Meisner,