334 Jussieuean, or Natural,. Si/stem of Plants, 



Order XV. nOLARIE^.E. 



This is one of the most favourite orders with gardeners ; 

 Consisting, as it chiefly does, of the Violetgenus, from which most 

 of the others are recent dismemberments. The greater part 

 consists of hardy herbaceous plants, some of which are remark- 

 able for their perfume, others for their brilliant colours, and all 

 for their neatness. They are natives of the temperate or cold 

 zones of both hemispheres, often growing at great elevations 

 above the sea. Among them is a tribe called Alsodineae, 

 consisting of sufFrutescent tropical plants ; but none of them 

 have been introduced to the gardens of this country. The 

 attention of collectors should be directed to procuring the 

 shrubby Fiolaceae of Brazil, some of which possess great 

 interest. The medical properties of the order are found 

 principally in their roots, which appear to possess, in all 

 cases, emetic properties, in a greater or less degree. One of 

 the ipecacuanhas is the root of a Brazilian violet. M. Decan- 

 dolle has the following observations upon the affinities of the 

 Fiolarieae : — They are very nearly akin, he observes, to the 

 Polygaleae and Droseraceae, and especially to the Passifloreae. 

 From the first they are distinguished by their unilocular fruit, 

 leaves furnished with stipules and two-celled anthers ; from 

 Droseraceae by their solitary style, lengthened embryo and 

 stipulate leaves, the vernation of which is involutive, not cir- 

 cinate. From Passifloreae they differ in their fruit being 

 capsular, not berried ; in their albumen being compact and 

 shining, not pitted ; in their stamens being hypogynous, not 

 perigynous ; in their anthers being attached along their whole 

 length, not fixed by their middle ; finally, in their stigmas 

 being one and not three. The genus Calyptrion approaches 

 Passifloreae in its twining stem, and Hymenanthera borders 

 upon Polygaleae on account of its monospermous pericarpium 

 with solitary pendulous seeds. 



lonidium Vent. Fiola Tou. Sauvagesia Jacq, 



Order XVI. POLYG.VLEiE. 



Most of the plants of this order are interesting, and de- 

 serving the attention of the gardener, some for their neatness, 

 some for their beauty, and some for their use in medicine. 

 They are natives of most countries, and are either low herba- 

 ceous plants, occasionally less than an inch in height (small 

 specimens of Polygala purpurea), or shrubs varying from a 

 dwarf, rigid, spiny habit, to a tall, graceful, drooping appear- 

 ance. Polygaleae are remarkable for the union of their 

 stamens into a single body, their one-celled anthers opening 



