272 



Geography. Scattered widely over the world ; but much more abundant 

 in temperate climates than in the tropics, where they chiefly exist in an arbo- 

 rescent 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. Dracamas, the most gigantic of the order, attain their largest size in the 

 Canaries. A Dracaena Draco is described in the Anncdes 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 ancient tree in the year 1496. The 

 northern Flora comprehends for the most part plants of the genera Scilla, Hya- 

 cinthus, Allium, and Omithogalum. In the East Indies Asphodeleae 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 vis- 

 cid juice, prevails in all, differing 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 pro- 

 portion 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, solu- 

 ble in water, alcohol, acids, and alkalies. Conspectus, p. 9. In consequence 

 of the free phosphoric 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. Socotrine 

 Aloes, so called from being produced in Zocotora, are obtained from Aloe spi- 

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

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

 or Hepatic Aloes of the shops. The root of Dracaena terminalis is considered 

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

 juice of Dracama Draco is the Gum Dragon, a styptic substance, well known 

 in medicine ; it flows from the plants abundantly when cut. The bitter resi- 

 nous 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. Bigelow, 3. 

 96. The bulbs of Scilla Lilio-Hyacinthus, and the roots of Anthericum bicolor, 

 are both purgative, according to Decandolle, Propr. Med. 296. The juice of 

 common Asparagus contains a peculiar principle, called Asparagin. Tur- 

 ner, 699. 



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

 above, are not sufficiently well defined. The principal types of structure are, 

 Scilla, Asphodelus, Hyacinthus, Puschkinia, Brodiaja, Aloe, Aletris, Aspara- 

 gus. 



CCXLVIII. GILLIESIEiE. 



Giluesiejs, Lindl. in Bot. Reg. 992. (1826); Hooker in Bol. Mag. 2716. (1827.) 



Diagnosis. Hexapetaloideous monocotyledons, with a superior ovarium, 

 and irregular petaloid involucella. 

 Anomalies. 



