or some multiple of 4, generally very numerous, inserted in 4 parwls, one of which adheres 

 to the hase of each petal ; anthers 2-celled, innate. Ovarium solitary ; style short, or iu)ne ; 

 stigmas alternate with the placentie, 2 or many ; in the latter case stellate upon the Hat apex 

 of the ovarium. Fruit 1 -celled, either pod-shaped, with 2 parietal placentse, or capsular, 

 with several placenta;. Seeds numerous ; albumen between fleshy and oily ; embryo minute, 

 straight, at the hase of the albumen, with plano-convex cotyledons — Herbaceous plants or 

 shrubs, with a milky juice. Leaves alternate, more or less divided. Peduncles long, 

 l-flowered ; fioivers never blue. 



Affinities. The siliquose-fruited genera, such as Glaucium and 

 Eschscholtzia, indicate the near affinity of this order to Cruciferse, from 

 which they differ in the want of a dissepiment to the fruit, in the stamens 

 being indefinite, and in the presence of copious albumen. Through Papaver 

 they approach Nymphaeacese, and through Sanguinaria Podophyllese, from 

 all which they are distinguished with facihty. Their relationship to Fuma- 

 riaceae is moi'e obscure, and is only to be understood by considering Cruciferae 

 to be their connecting link. The anomalies in the order are of little im- 

 portance, with the exception of Eschscholtzia, which has its stamens arising 

 from the throat of a flatly campanulate calyx, instead of being hypogynous : 

 this plant, however, may, instead of being an exception to the character, 

 be considered as affording a proof that all is not calyx which intervenes 

 between the base of the sepals and the base of the ovarium. I conceive 

 that it would be more natural to understand the apparent base of the calyx 

 of Eschscholtzia as a hollow apex of the peduncle ; but if this be admitted, 

 it will become doubtful whether many supposed tubes of the calyx are not 

 hollowed peduncles also ; as, for example, Calycanthus, Rosa, Scleranthus, 

 Margyricarpus, &c. I have already made some remarks upon this subject 

 in the Introduction, which see. A comparison of the structure of Papaver- 

 acege and Cruciferae, by Mirbel, is to be found in the Ann. des Sc. 6. 266. • 



Geography. Europe, in all directions, is the principal seat of Papaver- 

 aceae, almost two-thirds of the whole order being found in it. Two species only 

 are, according to Decandolie, peculiar to Siberia, three to China and Japan, 

 one to the Cape of Good Hope, one to New Holland, and six to Tropical 

 America. Several are found in North America, beyond the tropic ; and 

 it is probable that the order will yet receive many additions from that 

 region. Most of them are annuals. The perennials are chiefly natives of 

 mountainous tracts. 



Properties. Every one knows what narcotic pi'operties are possessed 

 by the poppy, and this character prevails generally in the order. Their seed 

 is universally oily, and in no degree narcotic. The oil obtained from the 

 seeds of Papaver somniferum is found to be perfectly wholesome, and is, in 

 fact, consumed on the continent in considerable quantity. It is also em- 

 ployed extensively for adulterating olive oil. Its use was at one time pro- 

 hibited in France by decrees issued in compliance with popular clamour ; but 

 it is now openly sold, the government and people having both grown wiser. 

 See Ed. P. J. 2. 17. Meconopsis napalensis, a Nipal plant, is described as 

 being extremely poisonous, especially its roots. Don. Prodr. 98. The San- 

 guinaria canadensis, or Puccoon, is emetic and purgative in large doses, and 

 in smaller quantities is stimulant, diaphoretic, and expectorant. Barton, 1 . 37. 

 The seeds of Argemone mexicana are used in the West Indies as a substitute 

 for ipecacuanha; and the juice is considered by the native doctors of India 

 as a valuable remedy in ophthalmia, dropt into the eye and over the tarsus; 

 also as a good application to chancres. It is purgative and deobstruent. 

 Ainslie, 2. 43. The Brazilians administer the juice of their Cardo santo, 

 Argemone mexicana, to persons or animals bitten by serpents, but, it would 

 appear, without much success. Prince Mux. Trav.2\4. The narcotic prin- 

 ciple of opium is an alkaline substance, called Morphia. The same drug 



