246 FAMILIES OF FLOWERING PLANTS. 



elderberry wine. In England the Saxons used to hold the elder bush, 

 or " ellhorn," in great awe and reverence. It was supposed to be a 

 sovereign remedy for many diseases, and was also used, like the witch- 

 hazel, as a divining rod. 



Family Adoxaceae. Moschatel Family. This consists of a single 

 monotypic genus, the species being Adoxa Moschatellina, a slender herb 

 of the northern parts of both hemispheres. It is distinguished from the 

 preceding family by having the stamens twice as many as the corolla 

 lobes, and by its ternately divided leaves. 



Family Valerianaceae. Valerian Family. These plants are all 

 herbs, contained in 9 genera and about 275 species of wide distribution. 

 They have opposite leaves without stipules, and small cymose flowers. 

 The distinguishing character of the family is found in the 3-celled ovary, 

 only one cell of which contains an ovule, the others being empty. The 

 fruit is dry and nut-like, one-seeded. Valeriana, the valerian, contains 

 the greatest number of species ; they are all strong-smelling plants, pos- 

 sessing powerful medicinal properties ; none are of much beauty. 

 Valerianella, which consists of smallar herbs, is known as corn salad 

 from the fact that several of the species are in cultivation as salad vege- 

 tables, particularly in Europe. They possess no distinctive flavor, but 

 are in good condition very early in the season. 



Family Dipsacaceae. Teasel Family. Contains about 7 genera and 

 140 species, natives of the Old World. They are also herbs, with the 

 flowers in close heads subtended by an involucre, like those of the 

 Compositae. The fruit is a small achene, crowned by the persistent 

 calyx. Dipsacus, the teasel, has heads of flowers interspersed with 

 rigid spiny points, which in the true fullers' teasel are hooked at the 

 apex ; it is thus an invaluable article to the cloth manufacturer, who 

 uses the heads to raise a nap on cloth ; no machine has yet been in- 

 vented that fulfills the same purpose. Scabiosa, another large genus of 

 this family, contains a number of species familiar in old gardens under 

 the names of mourning bride and sweet scabious. 



The Dipsacaceae and Valerianaceae are held by some authors to 

 constitute a distinct order, the Valerianales. 



