Quality and Uses. Roots “ dreadfully nauseous,” even after being boiled. 
ALISMALS, 62 ALISMADS. 
Natural Order, Alismats ; Alismacee (V. K., p. 209.) 
Prevailing Quality. Acridity. 
SagittaRia. Linneus. 
Flowers monecious. Sepals 3, herbaceous. Petals 3, coloured. Sta- 
mens 00. Carpels 00, compressed, one-seeded, on a globose receptacle. 
1. S. chinensis Sims.—(Cuinese ARROWHEAD.) a 
Leaves deeply sagittate, acute; the basal lobes as long as the terminal one, 
ovate, acute, diverging; scape branched, polygonal; male flower 
terminal. 
Habitat. Ditches and ponds in China. 
Quality. Subacrid ; corms full of starch. 
Uses. Sold in the markets of China and Japan as food. 
2. §. sagittifolia Linneus.—(Common ARROW-HEAD.) 
Uses. This has been recommended, without reason, as a cure for hydrophobia, 
CLASS V. DICTYOGENS (V.K., p. 211.) 
The useful species of this Class are so few that it is not worth classing 
them under their natural orders. The Genera alone are sufficient for the 
purpose of the student. 
Tamus. Linneus. 
(Order. Dioscoreaceze.) 
Ovary inferior. Fruit succulent. 
1. T. communis Linneus. — (Brack BryoNY 
Fig. 98. 
Leaves cordate, undivided. 
Habitat. Hedges in all parts of Europe. 
Quality. Acrid, purgative, emetic. 3 
Uses. Fleshy roots used for stimulating plaisters. Never 
theless the young suckers, in which the acrid p: 
is not much developed, are eaten as Asparagus, 
careful boiling, and changing the water. 
Dioscorea. Linneus. 
(Order. Dioscoreaceze, or Yams ; V. K., p. 214.) _ 
Ovary inferior. Fruit membranous, winged 
. 1. D. triphylla Linneus.—(THREE-LEAVED Yam. 
agro prickly ; leaves alternate, downy, ternate, with obovate cusp! 
eaflets. : 
Habitat. East Indies. 
Fig. 98.—Leaf of Tamus communis. 
