BYTTNERIACE1E, a natural order of exogenous plants, sometimes united with the order sterealiacece (q.v.), and also closely allied to maleacew (q.v.), from which it differs, especially in the Stamens not being columnar—although more or less united, generally into a cup or tube—also in the anthers being turned inwards, and 2-celled. The species of this order are trees, shrubs, or half-shrubby plants, abounding chiefly in tropical cli mates, although some are natives of the temperate zones. About 400 have been described. The flowers of many are beautiful. The most important product of the order is COCOA (q.v.). The fruit of guazuma ulrnifolia, a native of Brazil, is eaten, being filled with a sweet and pleasant mucilage. The young bark of this tree yields, when macerated, a copious mucilage, and is therefore used in Martinique for clarifying sugar, as is that of kydia calyeina in the northern provinces of India. Guazuma ulmifolia was introduced into India, and at one time largely cultivated in the Madras presidency, under the name of bastard cedar, that its foliage and young shoots might be employed as fodder for cattle. Its straight, luxuriant young branches yield a strong fiber. The
bark of other species of this order also affords a tough fiber, which is employed for making cordage, particularly that of mierolcena (or sebillera) speetabilis in the regions on the southern base of the Himalaya, abroma augustum, in various parts of India, dombeya speetabilis in Madagascar, and D. umbellata in the isle of Bourbon. fibroma augustum has been especially recommended to attention and cultivation on account of its fiber, which is beautiful, white, fine, and strong, and is produced in great abundance. The plant grows to be a handsome small tree, having hairy lobed leaves and beautiful droop ing purple flowers; but may be treated much as willows grown for basket-making, and in this way yields two, three, or even four crops of cuttings annually, which are peeled and the bark macerated in order to the separation of the fiber.
a t. of Upper Canada, on the Ottawa. which took its name from col. By of the royal engineers. It is now Ottawa (q.v.), the capital of the dominion of Canada.