208 



Geography. Natives of the northern parts of Europe, Asia, and Ame- 

 rica, passing downwards within the hmits of the tropics ; found very sparingly 

 in northern Africa, and almost unknown in the southern hemisphere. 



Properties. The fragrance and beauty of plants of the Honeysuckle 

 tribe have been the theme of many a poet's song ; but independently of such 

 recommendations, they possess properties of considerable interest. Their bark 

 is generally astringent ; that of Lonicera corymbosa is used for dyeing black in 

 Chile. The flowers of the Elder are fragrant and sudorific, its leaves foetid, 

 emetic, and a drastic purgative ; qualities which are also possessed by the 

 Honeysuckle itself, and the fruit of the Ivy. The fruit of the Viburnum is 

 destitute of these properties, but has, instead, an austere astringent pulp, 

 which becomes eatable after fermentation, and is made into a sort of cake 

 by the North American Indians. Cornus mascula, or the Cornel tree, yields 

 a fruit which is sometimes eaten, but which does not deserve much praise. 

 The bark of Cornus florida and Cornus sericea is stated by Barton to be 

 worthy of ranking among the best tonics of North America ; nothing having 

 been found in the United States that so effectually answers the purpose of 

 the Peruvian bark in the management of intermittent fevers. Barton, 1.51. 

 It is a remarkable fact, that the young branches of Cornus florida, stripped 

 of their bark and rubbed with their ends against the teeth, render them 

 extremely white. Ibid. From the bark of the more fibrous roots the Indians 

 obtain a good scarlet colour. Ibid. 1. 120. Triosteum perfoliatum is a mild 

 cathartic ; in lare:e doses it produces vomiting. Its dried and roasted berries 

 have been used as a substitute for Coffee. Ibid. 1 . 63. 



Examples. See above. 



CXCII. LORANTHE^. 



LoRAVTHE^, Juss. and Rich. Ann. Mus. 12. 292. (1808) ; Dec. and Duly, 246. (1828) ; 

 Lindl. Synops. 1 33. ( 1 829. ) 



Diagnosis. Monopetalous dicotyledons, with an inferior 1 -celled ova- 

 rium, a single pendulous ovulum, a naked stigma, and stamens opposite the 

 lobes of the corolla. 



Anomalies. Sometimes polypetalous. 



Essential Character. — Calyx superior, with 2 bracteae at the base. Corolla with 

 4 or 8 petals, more or less united at the base. Stamens equal in number to the petals, and 

 opposite to them. Ovarium 1 -celled ; ovulum pendulous ; style 1 or none ; stigma simple. 

 Fruit succulent, 1 -celled. Seed solitary, pendulous; testa membranous; embryo cylin- 

 drical, longer than the fleshy albumen ; radicle naked, clavate, superior Parasitical half- 

 shrubby plants. Leaves opposite, sometimes alternate, veinless, fleshy, without stipula*. 

 Flowers often moncecious, axillary or terminal, solitary, corymbose, or spiked. 



Affinities. Very near Caprifoliaccaj, from which they are readily 

 known not only by their imiversally parasitical habit, but also by their 

 stamens being opposite the lobes of the corolla, and not alternate with them. 

 Viscum seems to bear about the same relation to Loranthus that Cornus 

 does to Lonicerese. Mr. Don has expressed an opinion that a connexion is 

 established between this order and Araliacejc, by means of Aucuba (Jame- 

 son s Journal, Jan. 1830, p. 168) ; but this does not seem clearly made out. 

 Mr. Brown {Flinders, 549) suggests their relation to Proteacea^. The anther 

 of Viscum is remarkable for having its substance broken up into a number of 

 hollow cavities containing pollen, and not divided regularly into 2 lobes, each 

 of which has a cavity tontainiiig pollen, and a longitudinal line of dehiscence. 



