250 MONOPERIGYNEZ. 
ORDER XIX. 
COLCHICACEZ. 
Included in the Junci of Jussieu; Melanthacee of Brown an 
Lindley. 
Cuaracters.—Herbaceous plants, with fibrous or bulbous - 
roots, and alternate sheathing leaves. Flowers mostly her 
maphrodite, occasionally unisexual, terminal, in panicles, oF 
in racemes on a naked scape. Perianth coloured, in 6 deep 
divisions, often tubular at the base. Stamens 6, opposite to 
the divisions of the perianth; anthers turned outwards ; 
Ovary superior, 3-celled, or 3 1-celled ovaries in each flowers 
ovules many, attached to the inner angle of each cell; style 
trifid, or one to each cell or ovary; stigmas undivided and 
glandular. Pericarp a capsule, dividing into three pieces, 
dehiscing internally at the suture (loculicidal) ; carpels 
sometimes separate when ripe. Seed with a membranous 
_ or reticulated testa, anda fleshy albumen. 
oe _Exampies.— Meadow Saffron (Colchicum), Hi Hellebore 
(Veratrum), Bog-Asphodel (Narthecium), Scottish A 
del (Tofieldia), Melanthium, Bulbocodium. 
‘This important family is distinguished from the Juncee 
ae by having a coloured perianth, carpels distinct or separating 
_ when ripe, and anthers turned outwards. The latter cha- 
_ racters, together with the three styles and membranous 
- teacene separate this family from the Liliacez. ; 
S. Mevioriax ‘Prorertiss.—The alkaline principle called 
_Veratrin is found in several of this family,—in the bulb 
Meadow Saffron (Colchicum autumnale), the tuberous root 
' White Hellebore (Veratrum album), and the seeds of 5a 
badilla or Cevadilla (Veratrum Stabediia) Cevadilla seeds 
; om the Hel 
