1134


have  alternate,  entire  or  toutbed,  thick
evergreen  leaves,  and  terminal  or  lateral
panicles  of  flowers,  which  by  abortion
often  become  unisexual.  They  are  widely
spread  over  the  tropics  of  Asia,  Africa,  and
America.  The  flowers  have  four  to  six
sepals,  and  as  many  petals;  numerous
stamens,  with  the  filaments  dilated  at  the
top ;  and  three  to  five  ovaries  cohering  at
the  bottom,  and  each  containing  numerous
ovules  in  two  rows,  ultimately  ripening
into  one  to  flve-seeded  capsules  or  follicles,
which  split  open  along  their  Inner  edge.
'  Few  of  the  species  possess  much  interest
beyond  their  botanical  characters,  nor
are  any  of  them  remarkable  for  beauty.
Like  the  rest  of  the  order  they  contain
some  degree  of  aitringency.  T,  aln^otta  is
called  the  Water-tree  at  Sierra  Leone,  on
account  of  its  climbing  stems  yielding  a  good
supply  of  clear  water  when  cut  across ;  it  is
also  round  in  Senegambia,  Angola,  and  at
Fenutndo  Po.  In  Brazil  a  decoction  of  21
Breyuiana  and  T.  oblongata  is  applied  to
swellings  of  the  legs,  prevalent  in  that
country ;  while  in  Guiana  an  infusion  of
the  Tigarca  (T.  Tigarea,  called  Liane  rouge
by  the  French  in  Cayenne,  from  the  red
colour  of  its  infusion)  is  employed  in
venereal  complaints.  [A.  8.]

TBTRACHJENIUM.  A  fruit  formed  by
the  adhesion  of  four  achenes.
TBTRACMB.  A  genus  of  OmeifercB,
allied  to  Erynmum,  hut  with  the  pod
^ort,and  furnished  with  four  horns  at  the
tip.  It  Is  a  small  annual  from  the  Caspian
desert,  and  Is  the  Notoceras  quadricome  of
Itecandolle.  [J.  T.  8.3

I     TBTRACOCCOtJS.     Having  four   cells
I  elastically  dehiscing  and  separating.
