116 CLASS POLYANDRIA. 



shrink from the horny persisting stigma, and leave 

 openings at the summit of every cell by which the 

 seeds escape on the slightest agitation. These seeds 

 are exceedingly numerous, and filled with a mild and 

 pleasant flavored oil employed in the arts, being ob- 

 tained by expression, and might safely be used for diet, 

 which is not the case with the herb itself, lor the 

 milky juice so abundant in the capsules, when 

 inspissated, by simple drying on the plant from 

 which it exudes on incision, is the narcotic, but very 

 important, and useful lethean drug, Opium. Although 

 several species afford this milky sap, the Papaver 

 sonmifervm is chiefly cultivated for this purpose, and 

 produces spheroidal capsules as large as oranges, 

 preceded by white flowers, and having white seeds. 

 The Poppy is the type of a natural family Papa- 

 VERACEiE, to which also belongs the 



Celandine, or Chelidonium, a common plant about 

 old garden walls, and under shady hedges, in flower 

 the greatest part of the year ; its milky sap, as well as 

 small flowers, are yellow, constructed exactly as in 

 the Poppy ; but the stigma is small, sessile, and bifid ; 

 succeeded by a long, narrow siliqueor pod-formed cap- 

 sule of 1 cell, with 2 valves, and many crested seeds, 

 attached to 2 thread-like receptacles. 



The Meconopsis (Chelidonium diphyUum of Mi- 

 chaux), not uncommon in the western states, in moist 

 and rich shady woods, particularly along the banks of 

 the Ohio, differs only from the Celandine, which it 

 resembles, in flower and leaf, by having a distinct style; 

 a 4 to 6-rayed stigma ; and an oblong, bristly, 1 -celled 

 capsule, opening by 4 to 6 valves, containing many 

 seeds attached to filiform receptacles. 



The Sanguinaria, or Bloodroot, likewise belonging 

 to the PAPAVERACEiE, is one of our earliest vernal or- 

 naments, sending up its lively, white, and large flower? 



