CHAP. III.] BROMELIACE^. 451 



ORDER CXCVIL— MELANTHACE./E. 

 The plants belonging to this order have ge- 

 nerally inconspicuous flowers, except Colchicum 

 and Bulbocodium, both of which have flowers 

 like the Crocus. The bulbs of the Colchicum 

 are used in medicine ; but they and the whole 

 plant abound in an acrid juice, which is poi- 

 sonous if taken in too large a dose. The root 

 of Veratrum is also poisonous, and this plant 

 is believed to be the Hellebore of the ancients. 

 The Colchicum and the Bulbocodium are dis- 

 tinguished from the Crocus genus, which they 

 so strongly resemble in the appearance of their 

 flowers, by the ovary being within the flower 

 instead of below it, as is the case with all the 

 Amaryllidacese, and by their having three dis- 

 tinct styles, instead of one style and three 

 stigmas. In all other respects they are the same. 



ORDER CXCVIIL— BROMELIACE^E. 



This order includes the Pine Apple (Bro- 

 melia Ananas), the American Aloe {Agave ame- 

 ricana), Billhergia, the magnificent plant Bo- 

 napartea juncea, now called Lyttcea geminifiora, 

 and the curious epiphyte Tillandsia. What we 

 are accustomed to call the fruit of the Pine 



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