73 



the flower, and in some respects in habit; with the latter in the more 

 essential points of their structure. Their affinity to Cytinese, an order itself 

 upon the limits of the vascular and cellular divisions of vegetables, is undoubt- 

 edly very intimate. DecandoUe, in the Botanicon Gallicum, places them 

 between Elceagnese and Euphorbiaceee, to the former of which they approach 

 through Asarum, but with the latter of which their relation is not obvious. 

 To Passifloreae they may be compared, on account of the twining habit, 

 alternate leaves, and leafy habit of many species ; and to Cucurbitacese, on 

 account of their twining habit, and inferior ovarium. 



Geography. Very common in the equinoctial parts of South America, 

 and rare in other countries ; found sparingly in North America, Europe, and 

 Siberia ; more frequently in the Basin of the Mediterranean, and in small 

 numbers in India. 



Properties. These are in general tonic and stimulating ; Aristolochia 

 is, as its name implies, reputed emmenagogue, especially the European spe- 

 cies rotunda, longa, and Clematitis. An infusion of the dried leaves of Aris- 

 tolochia bracteata is given by native Indian practitioners as an anthelmintic ; 

 fresh bruised and mixed with castor oil, they are considered as a valuable 

 remedy in obstinate psora. The root of Aristol. indica is supposed by the 

 Hindoos to possess emmenagogue and antarthritic virtues ; it is very bitter. 

 Arist. odoratissima, a native of the West Indies, is a valuable bitter, and 

 alexipharmic. Ainslie, 2. 5. The Aristolochia fragrantissima, called in Peru 

 Bejuca de la Estrella, or Star Reed, is highly esteemed in Peru as a re- 

 medy against dysenteries, malignant inflammatory fevers, colds, rheumatic 

 pains, &c. The root is the part used. See Lambert's Illustration of Cin- 

 chona, p. 150, &c. The power 'of the root of Aristolochia serpentaria in 

 arresting the progress of the worst forms of typhus, is highly spoken of by 

 Bartoin, 2. 51. It has an aromatic smell, approaching that of Valerian, with 

 a warm, bitterish, pungent taste. Asarum canadense, called Wild Ginger in 

 the United States, is nearly allied in medical properties to the Aristolochia 

 serpentaria. Barton, 2. 88. The root of Asarum europasum, or Asara- 

 bacca, is used by native practitioners in India as a powerful evacuant ; they 

 also employ the bruised and moistened leaves as an external application 

 round the eyes in certain cases of ophthalmia. Ainslie, 1. 24. The leaves 

 and roots of the same plant are emetic ; but this quality is lost, according to 

 DecandoUe, by keeping or by steeping in vinegar. 



Examples. Aristolochia, Asarum, Trichopus. 



LXIII. CYTINE.E. 



Cytine.e, Adolphe Srohgn. in Ann. des Sc. Nat. 1. 29. (1824) PistiacE/e, Agardh. 



Aphor. Bot. p. 240. (1826) Rhizanthe-^, Blume in Batav. Zeitunij, (1825); 



Flora Javce, (1829) Aristolochi/e, § Cytineas, Link Ilandb. 1. 308. (1829.) 



Diagnosis. Apetalous leafless dicotyledons, with indefinite ovules, a 

 1 -celled ovarium with parietal placentse and indehiscent fruit. 

 Anomalies. No spiral vessels exist in these plants. 



Essential Character Flowers dioecious, monoecious, or hermaphrodite. Calyx 



superior, with a limh divided into several divisions, which are imbricated in wstivation. 

 Slamcns cohering in a solid central column, from the apex of which arise some horned 

 processes ; anthers adnate, either bursting longitudinally and externally, or having their 

 inside cellular, and discharging their pollen by orifices at the apex. Ovarinm inl'ei'ior, 



