NYCTAGINE^. 69 



Sect. 2. Euamarantus. — Pericarp circumscissile at the middle. Flowers polygamous. 



25. A. tristis, L. Glabrous ; leaves rhomboid-ovate, blunt, and usually retuse ; clusters 

 panicled, greenish : superior spikes cylindrical, contiguous, flexuose, inferior interrupted at 

 the base or reduced to axillary clusters ; sepals 5, oblong, mucronate, pale, with a green keel, 

 nearly equalling the spinescent bracts and the pericarp. — Willd. Amur. t. 5. /. 10 ; Wight, 

 Ic. t. 514, 713.— Hab. Jamaica!, Dist., to Trinidad!, Schach ; [Chili!]. 



26. A. paniculatus, L. Pubescent ; leaves ovate or rhomboid-oblong ; clusters pa- 

 nicled, purpurascent, red, or greenish : spikes cylindrical, crowded, spreading ; sepals 5, ob- 

 long, mucronate, nearly half the length of the spinescent bracts ; pericarp exceeding the 

 calyx. — Willd. Amar. t. 2. /. 3, 4. — A. sanguineus, L. — Hab. Bahamas (Linn., Mart.); 

 [Guiana! and all tropical countries]. 



XXIV. NYCTAGINEJ!]. 



Flowers apetalous. Calyx coralline : base persistent, and at length including the fruit. 

 Stamens hypogynous. Ovary unilocular : ovule solitary, basilar ; style simple. Embryo 

 excentrical : perisperm central, mealy. — Leaves entire, mostly opposite : the pair unequal, 

 and the nodes tumid. 



Drastic properties are general in this Order : consequently Mirabilis and Boerhaavia 

 yield drugs used in Colonial medicine. 



1. MIRABILI ^ 



Calyx infundibuliform or tubular, encircled by a 5-lobed involucre, which is single-flowered. 

 Stamens 5. Embryo incurved. — Perennial herbs. 



1. M. Jalappa, L. Glabrescent; leaves ovate or subcordate, pointleted; termina- 

 flowers fascicled ; calyx-tube much exceeding the involucre : limb spreading, 5-lobed. — Desc. 

 Fl. 2. t. 139. — M. dichotoma, Desc. (an L. f). — I have no particular knowledge of the West 

 Indian forms in this genus, and am not aware of any positive character for M. dichotoma, 

 Ij. — Hab. Jamaica (St., Lun.), Caribbean Islands, common ; [Mexico, Guiana]. 



2. BOERHAAVIA, L. 



Calyx constricted above the persistent tube: limb shortly 5-lobed. Stamens 1-3 (-4). 

 Pericarp perfectly enclosed by the indurated calyx-tube, which at length is closed at the top. 

 Embryo conduplicated.— Perennial or suffrutescent herbs : Howersfascicled or umbellate, with 

 minute bracts. * 



2. B. erecta, L. Ascending, glabrous ; leaves ovate or ovate-lanceolate, pointed, whi- 

 tish beneath ; fascicles arranged in a strict, narrow panicle ; calyx-lube at length clavate, 

 angular, truncate, and bluntly mucronate at the top, glabrous, 5-costate, with prominent ribs. 

 — Jacq. Ht. Find. 1. 1. 5, 6. — Flowers pale-red. — Hab. Jamaica !, Bancr., M'Nab ; Caribbean 

 Islands; [Georgia!, Florida!, Mexico, Galapagos Islands!]. 



3. B. paniculata, Rich. Ascending, glabrous ; leaves ovate, rounded at the top, sub- 

 ciliate, usually whitish beneath ; fascicles arranged in an elongated, spreading panicle ; pe- 

 duncles lax, filiform ; calyx-tube at length clavate, angular, rounded at the top, 5-costate, 

 with delicate, glandular ribs. — Plukn. Almag. t. 226. /. 7.—B. diffusa, Sw., Lun. — Flowers 

 red. — Hab. Jamaica !, Maqf., Wits., in cane-fields ; Dominica !, Barbadoes, Trinidad !, Sieb. 

 Trtn. 88; [Texas !, Panama !, Galapagos Islands ! ; Cape Verde Islands!]. 



4. B. hirsuta, W. Ascendiug, pubescent; leaves ovate, rounded, subsinuatc, concolor 

 or somewhat whitish beneath ; fascicles arranged in short, spreading panicles, or axillary, 

 corymbose and simple, stalked; calyx-tube at length clavate-cylindrical, rounded at the 

 top, costate with ribs which are densely glandular. — Jacq. Obs. t. 84; Jacq. Ht. Find. 1. 

 '• 7. — B. caribfea, Jacq.— Flowers blood-red. — Hab. Jamaica!, Macf., At., March; An- 

 tigua !, S. Vincent !, Guild. ; [Texas ! to Guiana !, Galapagos Islands !]. 



5. B. scandens, L. Suffruticose, divaricate, trailing, glabrous ; leaves cordate-round- 



