2(3 



perty, which modern chemists have ascertained to depend upon the presence 

 of a peculiar principle called strychnia. Small quantities of the extract have 

 been given with uncertain success in cases of mania, gout, epilepsy, hysteria, 

 and dysentery, and also in paraplegia and hemiplegia, .'liiistie, 1.321. This 

 strychnia is one of the most violent poisons hitherto discovered : its energy is 

 so great, that half a grain blown into the throat of a rabbit, occasioned death 

 in the course of five minutes. Its operation is always accompanied with symp- 

 toms of locked jaw and other tetanic affections. Turner, 651. A peculiar acid, 

 called by MM. Pelleticr and Caventou the Igasuric acid, occurs in combination 

 with strychnia in nux vomica and the St. Ignatius bean ; but its existence, as 

 different from all other known acids, is doubtful. Ibid. 641. It is remarkable 

 that one of the most valuable febrifuges of Brazil belongs to this order. The 

 bark of the Strychnos Pseudo-quina is fully equal to Cinchona in curing inter- 

 mittent fevers ; it appears to possess some of the dangerous properties of nux 

 vomica ; but according to the analysis of Vauquelin, it contains no strychnia 

 whatever. PL Usuelles, no. 1. The pulp of the fruit of S. pseudo-quina, and 

 even of S. nux vomica, is eaten without inconvenience. Ibid. no. 1. M. Cail- 

 liaud found a species of Strychnos in Nubia, the fruit of which is sweet and not 

 unwholesome ; and M. Delile remarks, that the venomous species are always 

 bitter. Delile Cent. 11. 



Examples. Nerium, Wrightia, Apocjmum, Tabemaemontana, Cerbera, 

 Carissa, Gardneria. 



CXCVII. GENTIANEiE. The Gentian Tribe. 



Gen-tiane.k, Juss. Gen. 141. (1789) ; R. Brown Prodr. 449. (1810) ; Lindl. Synops. 177.(1829); 

 Von Martius Nov. Gen. cf-c. 2. 132. (1828.) 



Diagnosis. Monopetalous bitter dicotyledons, with regular flowers, a su- 

 perior 1- or 2-celled ovarium, an imbricated withering corolla, indefinite seeds, 

 capsular fruit, and opposite exstipulate entire leaves. 



Anomalies. Menyanthes and Villarsia have alternate leaves. 



Essential Character. — Calyx monophyllous, divided, inferior, persistent. . Corolla mono- 

 petalous, hypogynous, usually regular, withering' or deciduous; the limb divided, equal, its 

 lobes of the same number as those of the calyx, generally 5, sometimes 4, 6, 8, or 10, with an 

 imbricated twisted aestivation. Stamens inserted upon the corolla, all in the same line, equal 

 in number to the segments, and alternate with them ; some of them occasionally abortive. 

 Pollen 3-lobed or triple. Ovarium single, 1- or 2-celled, many-seeded. Style 1, continuous ; 

 stigmas 1 or 2. Capsule or berry many-seeded, with 1 or 2 cells, generally 2-valved ; the mar- 



fins of the valves turned inwards, and in the genera with 1 cell, bearing the seeds; in the 

 -celled genera inserted into a central placenta. Seeds small ; testa single; embryo straight 

 in the axis of soft fleshy albumen ; radicle next the hilum. — Herbaceous plants, seldom shrubs, 

 generally smooth. Leaves opposite, entire, without stipuls, sessile, or having their petioles 

 confluent in a little sheath. Flowers terminal or axillary. 



Affinities. Very near Apocynere, from which they differ in their herba- 

 ceous habit, withering corolla, entire ovarium, imbricated, not contorted, aesti- 

 vation, want of milk, and capsular fruit without naked seeds. Mr. Brown re- 

 marks, that this order is better known by its habit than by any particular 

 character ; being, on the one hand, allied to Polemoniacese and Scrophulari- 

 neae, from the latter of which it is distinguished by its regular flowers, the 

 stamens of which are equal tothe lobes of the corolla, and from the former by 

 the dehiscence of the capsule and the placentation of the seeds ; and on the 



