XVII. THE MADDER FAMILY. 347 



The elegance of the evergreen foliage causes it to be much 

 sought after, to be mingled with bouquets in winter ; and for this 

 purpose it is brought from considerable distances, and carefully 

 kept in cellars sometimes for months. 



FAMILY XVII. THE MADDER FAMILY. RTJBIA'CEJE. Jussieu. 



This is a very extensive family, comprehending nearly two 

 thousand species of trees, shrubs and herbs, with roundish or 

 four-sided stems and branches, entire leaves, opposite or in 

 whorls, with stipules between the leaves, often resembling 

 leaves, and with regular flowers. 



This family is divided into many sub-orders and tribes, 

 and, with the exception of that, (Stellala,) which includes the 

 Madder, Rubia, and the Cleavers, Galium, which is made a 

 separate family by some writers, is a remarkably natural one. 

 It is mostly confined to countries within or near the tropics, 

 a few species only occurring far to the north. The properties 

 of different plants of this family are of the greatest import- 

 ance. Madder, and several species of Galium yield valuable 

 dyes and pigments. The roots oi Dyers' Cleavers, G. linc- 

 torium, were employed by the North American Indians to give 

 to the quills of the porcupine a red color, which neither sun, 

 air, nor water would change. The seeds of some species of 

 the same genus, are a successful substitute for coffee. The 

 Peruvian bark, (kiu-kina, "the bark of barks,") the best febri- 

 fuge known, is obtained from several species of Cinchona, na- 

 tives of Peru, which possess, in very various degrees, the bitter, 

 astringent and alkaline properties, which give them their virtue. 

 Pinckneya pubens, the fever bark of Carolina, is reputed to 

 have properties similar to Cinchona. Coffee is the horny, albu- 

 minous seed of Cqfea Arabica, the best known and most import- 

 ant species of a numerous group. All the different kinds of coffee 

 known in commerce, are varieties of this one species, originally 

 brought from Mocha, or, according to Raynal, from the moun- 



