198 



this account some have been accounted stomachics, as Carduus benedictus ; 

 others slightly febrifugal, as Carduus marianus, Centaurea calcitrapa ; the 

 Artichoke and others sudorific and diaphoretic, as Carduus benedictus and 

 Arctium Bardana. The modern Arabians consider the root of the Artichoke 

 (Cynara scolymus) an aperient : they call the gum of it Kunkirzeed, and 

 place it among their emetics. Jlinslie, 1. 22. This bitterness is not, however, 

 found in the unexpanded leaves or receptacles, on which account they are, 

 in many cases, used as wholesome articles of food ; as the leaves of the Car- 

 doon, and the receptacle of the unexpanded flower of Artichoke, the Carlina 

 acanthifolia, and others. The flower of Echinops strigosus is used in Spain 

 for tinder ; the corollas of the Artichoke, the Cardoon, and of several thistles, 

 are employed in the South of Europe for curdling milk ; and those of Cartha- 

 mus tinctorius yield a deep yellow dye, resembling Saffron. Their seeds are 

 all oily and slightly bitter ; some are purgative, as those of Carthamus ; others 

 diaphoretic, as Carduus benedictus ; and, finally, some partake of all these 

 qualities, as Arctium Bardana, whose seeds pass for diuretic, diaphoretic, and 

 slightly purgative. 



ClCHORACE.E. 



These are very much like Campanulaceae in their medical and chemical pro- 

 perties, as might have been expected from the close affinity they bear that order 

 botanically. Their juice is usually milky, bitter, astringent, and narcotic, as is 

 well known to be the case in Succory, Endive, and even the common Lettuce, 

 but more especially in Lactuca virosa and sylvestris, both of which yield an ex- 

 tract resembling Opium in its qualities, but less likely to produce the inconve- 

 nient consequences that often attend upon the use of that drug. Before this 

 narcotic bitter secretion is formed, many of the species are useful articles of food ; 

 the Succory and Endive, for instance, when blanched, and the roots of Scorzo- 

 nera and Tragopogon, or Salsafy. 



Examples. Leontodon, Bellis, Carduus. 



Since the foregoing was set in type, the last volume of the Diclionnaire des 

 Sciences Naturelles has reached me. In that work M. Cassini has at length 

 given the differential characters of his tribes, and a complete Index of the places 

 in which his observations are to be found. This will render the study of the 

 genera and divisions of this very accurate and learned botanist more accessible 

 than it has hitherto been. I do not extract the names of the tribes and their 

 characters, as they would, in the first place, occupy more space than could be 

 conveniently afforded, and, secondly, because they cannot be considered suf- 

 ficiently settled. 



CLXXXVII. CALYCEREiE. 



Calyceheje, R. Brmi-nin Linn. Trans. 12. 132. (1816) ; Rich, in Mm. Mm. 6. 76. (1820).— 

 Boopide-e, Cassini in Diet, des Sc. 5. 26. Supp. (1817.) 



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

 capitate flowers, half syngenesious stamens, and pendulous ovula. 

 Anomalies. 



Essential Character. — Calyx superior, of 5 unequal pieces. Corolla regular, funnel- 

 shaped, with a long slender tube and 5 segments, each 01 which has 3 principal veins ; glandu- 

 lar spaces below tlic stamens and alternate with them. Stamens 5, monadelphous ; anthers 

 combined by their lower half in a cylinder. Ovarium, inferior, 1-cellcd ; ovulvm solitary, 

 pendulous ; style simple, smooth ; stigma capitate. Fruit an jndchiscent pcricarpium, crowned 



