PAPAVERACEiE. 29 



Some of this genus are employed as emmenagogues. The plant 

 was fancied to have sprung up from the blood of the wounded 

 Jldonis. Loudon. 



P^ONiA. L. 12. 3. Peony. 



P. officinalis. L., is the well-known Peony of our gardens. 

 As the flower becomes double, or the stamens change into petals, 

 by cultivation, it is admired for its large head of petals, as well as 

 for its fine foliage. It is a hardy plant, finding safe winter quarters 

 in its large tuberous roots, from which it rises early in the spring. 

 The root is said to be acrid and bitter, and antispasmodic (Lind.) ; 

 but the two former properties are slight in its cultivated state. 

 It is sometimes grated and given as a stomachic. 



Named after Pceon^ a physician of antiquity, who used it in 

 medicine. Loudon. 



Many of the species are splendid ornaments of the greenhouse. 



ORDER 4. PAPAVERACE^. 



Calyx 2-leafed, or having 2 sepals, deciduous, with corolla 

 of 4 petals, or some multiple of 4, and many hypogynous 

 stamens ; germ or ovarium single, without a style, or having only 

 a short one, containing numerous seeds. The plants contain a 

 milky or yellow juice ; leaves divided ; flowers not yellow. 

 Lind. 



The poisonous properties of this order are well known. It 

 does not contain a great many plants, and a large proportion are 

 found in Europe ; a few in our country. The appearance of a 

 milky juice in plants should always lead to caution in the use of 

 them. Opium, the substance formed from the juice of some 

 plants of this order, is from the Greek for juice. 



Chelidonium. L. 12. 1. 



C. majus. L. Celandine. Stem two feet high, with pinnate 

 leaves, pale-green, and rather glaucous ; flowers yellow, in a 

 sparse umbel, and their parts fall off" prematurely ; a bright- 

 yellow juice abounds in all parts of the plant, unless the seed is 

 an exception ; grows about yards and fences, and flowers in 



