AQUILARIA'CLE, Aquilariads, a small natural order of plants belonging to the Incomplete Exegetes. The species are trees with smooth branchesand a tough bark. The leaves are alternate, entire, seated on short stalks without stipules, and when full-grown aro smooth and shiny, with very fine veins running together into a mar ginal vein just within the margin. The calyx is turbinate or tubular, limb 5-cleft, segments spreading, persistent, with an imbricated motivation, the orifice furnished with 5- or 10-bearded scales (meta morphosed stamens). The stamens are 5 or 10 in number ; when 5, they are opposite the segments of the calyx • the filaments are short or absent, smooth, inserted into the orifice the calyx a little lower down than the scales, except in cases where they are united to the tube of the calyx ; the anthers are narrow, oblong, attached by their back below the middle, 2-celled, opening internally and lengthwise ; the ovary is superior, sessile or atipitate, downy, compressed, 1-celled, having internally, upon each flattened aide, a linear prominent placenta resembling a dissepiment, hence spuriously 2-celled, with a very narrow partition ; ovules two, of which one is suspended from each placenta, tapering downwards ; the style is either absent or conical and thread-shaped; the stigma is simple and largo; the fruit is a capsule, pear-shaped, compressed, sessile or stipitate, 1-celled, 2-valved, the valves bearing in the middle the placentae, which almost touch each other. One seed is mostly borne on each placenta (one is some times abortive) ; the seed rises up by aid of a funiculus, originating near the apex of the placenta, and is furnished with a tail-like aril, which descends straight from the hilum to the bottom of the capsule ; the radicle is straight and superior, the albumen is absent, and the cotyledons thick, fleshy, and hemispherical.
This order, which consists at present of only three genera, was constituted by Robert Brown, who regarded it as having so close an affinity with Chaillethcoe as to ace no objection to making it a section of that order. He also pointed out its relation to Thyme/acem, in which he is followed by Lindley, who says, " Aquilariacem chiefly differ from Thymelacem in their dehiscent fruit, and probably also in the direction of their radicle. In both orders the ovary is superior
and 1-eelled; both have similar scale-like bodies at the orifice of the calyx, and no petals;, both suspended ovules, a single style, and capitate stigma.' De Condone places the order between Chailletaccce and Terebintacem.
All the species of A quilariacem are natives of the East Indies.
The three genera of this order are Aquilaria, Ophiospermum, and Gyrinops. Of the last two little is known. One species of each has been described. There are three species of Aquilaria.
A. Malaccensis, the Buis Aidle, or Englo-Wood, is a native of 3lalacca, and produces a whitish-yellow wood. This is the A. orata of some botanists. A. A ynllochum is a native of the East Indies, where it is called Ugoor, or Ugooroo, by the natives, and Lignum Aloes, or Aloe-Wood, by the Europeans. The wood has a fine scent, and is supposed to be the Calambac, or Agallochum, of the ancients.
A. secundaria is another species which also yields a scented wood, and has been known in the 3lateria Medico, and used in perfumery, under the names of Agallochum, Lignum-Aloes, and Aloe-Wood. In a healthy state this wood is said to be white and inodorous; but it is subject to the attacks of disease, which causes the secretion of a resinous matter, and the wood then becomes coloured, and gives out a powerful scent This secretion resembles camphor in many of its properties, and has a bitter flavour: hence the name Aloe-Wood. In medicine it is recommended in the same diseases as the fetid resins and volatile oils, and does not seem to possess peculiar properties; so that it in not used as a medicine in Europe. Tho Coehm-Chinese are said to make their paper from the bark of this or some kindred species of Aquilaria. These trees must not be confounded with the A toerylon Agallorhum, or Aloe-Wood, which is a tree belonging to the natural order beyuminosm, and which also yields a scented wood used by the Chinese in medicine and perfumery.
(Don, Gardener's Dictionary ; Lindley, Natural System ; Royle, littera, ions.)