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THE EDITORS MEDICAL BOTANY. 



FIRST CLASS, MONANDRIA. 



GINGER (Zingiber qfficinale). 



This plant, which belongs to the 

 Jussieuan order, Scitaminece, is a na- 

 tive of the East Indies, and is also 

 cultivated in the West. The root 

 is creeping and perennial, with fleshy 

 finger-like tubers, which is the part 

 used medicinally. These, when the 

 stalks fade, are taken up like pota- 

 toes, scraped, washed, and dried in 

 the sun, and constitute white ginger. 

 By scalding the tubes before drying, 

 black ginger is formed. The flowers 

 grow in a club-shaped spike. 



Flower. 



b The stamen and pistil. 



SECOND CLASS, DIANDRIA. 



OLIVE (Olea JEuropcea). 



This plant, which belongs to the 

 Jussieuan order, Oleina;, is a native 

 of the north of Africa and of the 

 south of Europe, where it is much 

 cultivated. The flowers are in oppo- 

 site clusters, half the length of the 

 leaves, on short flower stalks ; the 

 calyx four-cleft and regular; the 

 corolla white, four-parted, regular, 

 and spreading. The fruit is a smooth 

 oval plum, bitter and nauseous. The 

 ripe fruit is bruised in a mill, to 

 procure the oil, which is the part 

 used. 



a Flower, showing the two sta- 

 mens and pistil. 

 b Pistil and seed organ. 



