Class XXII. Order V. 367 



* 



studded on its outside with small, black grains resembling fine 

 gunpowder, over which is a crust of dry, white wax, fitted to 

 the grains, and giving the surface of the fruit a granulated ap- 

 pearance. Botanically speaking this fruit has been improperly 

 called a berry and a drupe ; since it is always dry and never in- 

 vested with a cuticle, or any thing but the grains and wax. 



The wax is procured for use by boiling the berries in water 

 till it melts and floats on the surface. See American Medical 

 Botany, volume iii. 



PEJVTJ1NDRM. 



426. HUMULUS. 

 HUMULUS LUPULUS. Common Hop. 



Bigelovv, Medical Botany, PI. Is. 



The root of the Hop vine is perennial. Stems annual, twin- 

 ing from right to left, angular, rough, with minute, reflexed 

 prickles. Leaves opposite, on long winding petioles, the small- 

 er ones heart-shaped, the larger ones three or five lobed, ser- 

 rated, veiny and extremely rough. Flowering branches axilla- 

 ry, angular and rough. Stipules two or four, between the peti- 

 oles, ovate, reflexed. Flowers numerous and of a greenish 

 colour. Those of the barren plants are very numerous and pan- 

 icled. Their calyx has five oblong, obtuse, spreading, concave 

 leaves. Corolla wanting. Stamens short ; anthers oblong, and 

 bursting by two terminal pores. The fertile flowers, growing on 

 a separate plant, are in the form of an arnent, having each pair 

 of flowers supported by a calyx-scale, which is ovate, acute, tu- 

 bular at base. Corolla of one scale, obtuse, smaller than the ca- 

 lyx, and placed one on each side of it, infolding the germ by 

 their edge. Germ roundish, compressed; styles two, short; 

 stigmas long, subulate, downy. The scales of the calyx and co- 

 rolla swell into a kind of persistent cone or strobile, each flower 

 producing a roundish seed. The hop vine appears to be a na- 

 tive of this continent, being found wild in all parts of the United 

 States. 



427. ACN1DA. 



ACNIDA CANNABINA. L. Sea Hemp. 



Leaves lanceolate ; capsules smooth, acute anirled. 



