274 



capsular genera can by no means be collected into two groupes. Mr. Brown 

 justly remarks {Prodr. 275), that there is very commonly in this tribe an 

 articulation in the middle, or at the apex of the peduncle, which is scarcely 

 found in any of the neighbouring tribes, except in some Aneilemas, among 

 Commelineae, and in Sanseviera, a genus usually referred to Asphodelese, 

 but which Mr. Brown appears to consider belonging to some other tribe, 

 Avithout stating to what, perhaps to his Hemerocallidese, which are understood 

 here to be the same as Liliacese. The greatest confusion exists in authors 

 as to the limits of the orders near Asphodelese, particularly in regard to those 

 now mentioned. 



Geography. Scattered widely over the world; but much more abun- 

 dant in temperate climates than in the tropics, where they chiefly exist in 

 an arborescent state. Aloes are mostly found in the southern parts of 

 Africa. One species is a native of the West Indies, and two or three more 

 of Arabia and the East. Dracaenas, the most gigantic of the order, attain 

 their largest size in the Canaries. A Dracsena Draco is described in the 

 Annates des Sciences, 14. 140. as being between 70 and 75 feet high, 46^ 

 feet in circumference at the base, and it was known to have been a very 

 ancieni tree in the year 1496. The northern Flora comprehends for the 

 most part plants of the genera Scilla, Hyacinthus, Allium, and Ornitho- 

 galum. In the East Indies Asphodelese are rare ; in New Holland they form a 

 distinctly marked feature of the vegetation. 



Properties. The tribe consists almost entirely of beautiful flowers, 

 general favourites in gardens. A bitter stimulant principle, contained 

 in a gummy viscid juice, prevails in all, diflering in the species chiefly in 

 regard to its quantity and degree of concentration. The bulb of the Scilla 

 maritima is nauseous and acrid ; it acts either as an emetic, purgative, or 

 expectorant and diuretic, in proportion to the dose in which it is given. 

 Its properties are said to be due to a peculiar principle, called by M. Vogel, 

 Scillitin. The Onion, Garlic, Shallot, Chive, Rocambole, all species of 

 Allium, agree in their stimulant, diuretic, and expectorant effects, differing 

 in their degree of activity. According to Dr. A. T. Thomson, the virtues 

 of the genus Allium depend on an acrid principle, soluble in water, alcohol, 

 acids, and alkalies. Conspectus, p. 9. In consequence of the free phos- 

 phoric acid which the common Onion bulbs contain, they are supposed to be 

 useful in calculous cases. Ibid. Aloes act in like manner as stimulants, 

 to which they owe their remarkable cathartic powers. Soccotrine Aloes, 

 so called from being produced in Zocotora, are obtained from Aloii spicata, 

 Linn. An inferior sort, sold in the East Indian bazars, is supposed to be 

 the produce of Aloe perfoliata. Ainslie, 1. 9. This is the Barbadoes Aloes, 

 or Hepatic Aloes of the shops. The root of Draca;na terminalis is considered 

 by the Javanese a valuable medicine in dysenteric affections. Ibid. 2. 20. 

 The juice of Dracaena Draco is the Gum Dragon, a styptic substance, well 

 known in medicine ; it flows from the plants abundantly when cut. The 

 l)itter resinous root of Aletris farinosa is tonic and stomachic, in small doses ; 

 but a dose of 20 grains occasions much nausea, with a tendency to vomit. 

 BigeUnu, 3. 96. The bulbs of Scilla Lilio-Hyacinthus, and the roots of 

 Anthericum bicolor, are both purgative, according to DecandoUe, Propr. 

 Med. 296. The juice of common Asparagus contains a peculiar principle, 

 called Asparagin. Turner, 699. 



Examples. No good sections have been yet formed; those of Link, 

 quoted above, are not sufficiently well defined. Tlic principal types of struc- 

 ture are, Scilla, Asphodelus, Hyacinthus, Puschkinia, Brodicea, Aloe, Ale- 

 tris, Asparagus. 



