GENTIANACE^E. 



forming an elegant, oblong, leafy, decussated panicle. Bractes 2 at 

 each division of the panicle, and like the leaves, but smaller. Calyx 

 4-cleft ; divisions linear, acute, permanent. Corolla yellow ; the limb 

 spreading and 4-parted, with divisions as long as those of the calyx, and 

 also permanent. Stamens 4. Anthers cloven at the base. Style 

 single, as long as the ovary. Stigma large, 2-lobed. Capsules rather 

 shorter than the permanent calyx and corolla, 1-celled, 2-valved, open- 

 ing a little at the apex. Seeds numerous, affixed to 2 receptacles 

 adhering to the sides of the valves. — An excellent tonic bitter. The 

 whole plant is pulled up at the time the flowers begin to decay, and 

 dried for use. Its febrifugal properties are in high estimation with 

 European practitioners in India, who use it instead of Cinchona when 

 the latter is not to be procured. Professor Royle has shown that the 

 common notion of this being the Calamus aromaticus of the ancients is 

 unfounded ; see his Illustrations, §c. p. 278. 



FRAZERA. 



Calyx deeply 4-parted. Corolla 4-parted, rotate, deciduous, 

 with a bearded orbicular gland in the middle of each segment. 

 Stamens 4. Capsule compressed, partly margined, 1-celled. 

 Seeds few, imbricated, elliptical, with a membranous margin. 



1097. F. carolinensis Walt. car. 87. Torrey fl. i. 187. — 

 F. Walteri Michx. fl. i. 97. Elliott sketch i. 205. Bart. veg. 

 mat. med. ii. 35. — Borders of lakes in the middle and southern 

 states of the North American Union. 



Root biennial. Stem 3-5 feet high, erect, sub-quadrangular, smooth. 

 Leaves opposite and verticillate, oblong-lanceolate ; the lower ones a 

 foot long, and more than 3 inches broad. Flowers verticillate; pedun- 

 cles 1 -flowered, unequal. Segments of the calyx linear-lanceolate, 

 acute. Corolla greenish-yellow, speckled with purple ; segments acu- 

 minate, with an oval or orbicular fringed gland in the centre of each. 

 Stamens shorter than the corolla, alternating with its segments ; fila- 

 ments subulate ; anthers large, oblong, yellow. Ovary oblong, attenu- 

 ated into a short style; stigma bifid. Capsule much compressed, oval, 

 acuminated with the persistent style. Seeds 6-8. Torrey. — The root 

 is a pure, powerful, and excellent bitter, destitute of aroma, and is fully 

 equal to Gentian. When fresh it is reported to be emetic and cathartic. 

 The roots have been imported into Europe as a sort of Calumba, and 

 have acquired in consequence the name of American Calumba. 



CICENDIA. 



Corolla funnel-shaped ; without glands or any corona, with a 

 5-parted limb, eventually twisted over the capsule. Stamens 5. 

 Stigma capitate. Capsule 1-celled, with the valves so much in- 

 flected as to divide the cavity almost into 2 cells. Anthers not 

 altering. 



1098. C. hyssopifolia Wight and Arnott in Comp. toBot. Mag. 

 ii. 250. t. 28. — Gentiana hyssopifolia Linn, suppl. 174. Burnt, 

 afr. t. 74. f. 3. Exacum hyssopifolium Willd. sp. pi. i. 640. — 

 Various parts of the East Indies, common. 



520 



