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ILLUSTRATIONS OF INDIAN BOTANY.
Rosaceae. The Rose tribe.
"Calyx 4 or 5-lobed, with a disk either linening the tube or surrounding the orifice ; the fifth lobe next the axis. Petals 5, perigynous, equal. Stamens indefinite, arising from the calyx, just within the petals, in asstivation curved inwards; anthers innate, 2-celled, bursting longitudinally. Ovaries superior, either solitary or several, 1-celled, sometimes cohering into a plurilocular pistil; ovules 2, or more, suspended, very rarely erect; styles lateral; stigmas usually simple, and emarginate on one side. Fruit either l-seeded nuts, or acini, or follicles containing several seeds. Seeds suspended, rarely ascending. Embryo straight, with a taper short radicle pointing to the hilum, and flat cotyledons. Albumen usually almost obliterated when the seeds are ripe; if present fleshy.—Herbaceous plants or shrubs. Leaves simple or compound, alternate, usually with 2 stipules at their base."
Under this order Dr. Lindley ranges the rose, the raspberry, bramble, and strawberry, the Dryas and Agrimony, meadow sweet ( Spiraea J and many others in which numerous pistils with lateral styles are observed, the rose itself being to all appearance the most anomalous of the tribe, owing the extension of the tube of the calyx and the contraction of its orifice enclosing and concealing the carpels, which in most of the others are exposed. The genera naturally divide themselves into four groups — 1st. Roseae, distinguished as above by its tubular ventricose calyx enclosing the ovaries — 2d. Potentilleae, by its numerous ovaries seated on an elevated fleshy receptacle — 3d. Spircece, by its definite ovaries (about 5) each with a terminal style and several ovules ; follicular fruit, with two rows of suspended seed in each follicle j and lastly, Quillaieae like Spircece but trees, having winged seed,with simple, not lobed leaves, (all American.)
Geographical Distribution. Principally natives of temperate or cold climates of the northern hemisphere. The species found within the tropics are natives of high hills, where the temperature is reduced by elevation. Such is the case with all those found in the Indian peninsula, figures of several of which will be found in the 12th number of my Icones.
Properties and Uses. No rosaceous plants are unwholesome and some of them furnish us with most delicate fruit. In the plant the astringent principle generally predominates and in the Tormentilla so intensely that its roots are even used for tanning leather, some of them are reckoned febrifuge and have been administered as substitutes for Peruvian bark; Brayera an Abyssinean plant is said to be one of the most powerful anthelmentics in the world, it being stated by Brayer its discoverer, that, two or three doses of its infusion are sufficient to cure the most obstinate cases of tapeworm. Rosaceae are however best known for the beauty and fragrance of the type of the family, the Rose, and for their fruit, of which the strawberry, raspberry, and blackberry, are the most esteemed. Some of the Indian species of Rubus even in their uncultivated slate produce very passable fruit, which might be greatly improved by culture and certainly merit a trial. Judging from the great advances which within these few years have been made in the culture of the rose in this country, we have strong reason to hope for most ample success in this attempt. The strawberry is now cultivated to a considerable extent about Hyderabad and Bangalore and has even succeeded in producing fruit in Madras, but as yet our attempts at culture have not been crowned with much success.
Sub-order Pomeae. The Apple tribe.
"Calyx superior, 5-toothed; the odd segment posterior Petals 5, unguiculate, inserted in the throat of the calyx ; the odd one anterior. Stamens indefinite, inserted in a ring in the throat of the calyx. Disk thin, clothing the sides of the tube of the calyx. Ovaries from 1 to 5, adhering more or less to the sides of the calyx and each other ; ovules usually 2, collateral, ascending, very rarely solitary ; Styles from 1 to 5 ; stigmas simple. Fruit a pome, 1 to 5-celled, seldom spuriously 10-celled ; the endocarp either cartilaginous, spongy, or bony. Seeds ascending, solitary. Albumen none; embryo erect, with flat cotyledons, or convolute ones in Chamameles, and a short conical radicle. — Trees or shrubs. Leaves alternate, stipulate, simple, or compound. Floivers in terminal cymes, white or pink,"
