14: 3 GILLENIA TRIF OLIATA, 
ber, scattered, terminal, nodding, forming a sort 
of panicle, with long peduncles, occasionally fur- 
nished with minute lanceolate bractes. Calyx 
subcampanulate, or tubular, with the lower half 
narrowest, the border divided into five reflexed 
acute teeth. Petals five, the two upper ones 
separated from the three lower, white, with a red- 
dish tinge on the edge of the outside, lanceolate, 
unguiculate, contracted, and approximated at base. 
Stamens about twenty in a double series within 
the calyx. Germ round, styles approximated. 
Capsules five, not one, as some authors have stated, 
diverging, oblong, acuminate, gibbous without, — 
sharp edged within, two valved, one celled, one or 
two seeded ; seeds oblong, corresponding in shape 
to the capsule. 
The root of this plant is much branched and 
knotty. It consists of a woody portion, invested 
with a thick bark, which when dry is brittle, and 
yery bitter to the taste. The predominant, solu- 
ble ingredients in this root appear to be a bitter 
extractive matter, and resin. When boiled in 
water, it imparts to it a beautiful, deep red, wine 
colour, and an intensely bitter taste. ‘This decoc- 
tion undergoes no change from alcohol or gela- 
tine, though it gives a precipitate with muriate of 
tin, Water distilled from the root has its peculiar 
