ECHIALES.] 



VERBENACE.E. 



GG3 



2 3 



FJg.CCCCXLII. 



Order CCLVI. VERBENACE^.— Verbenes. 



Vitices, Juss. Gen. 106. (1789). -Verbenaceae, Juss. in Ann. Mus. 7. 63. (1806) ; R. Brown Prodr.blQ ; 

 Bartl. Ord. Nat. 179; Endl. Gen. cxxvii. ; Meimer Gen. p. 290. 



Diagnosis.— ^c^ioZ Exogens, with irregular umymmetrical flowers, confluent nuts, and 



erect ovules. 



Trees or shrubs, sometimes herbaceous plants. Leaves generally opposite, simple or 

 compound, without stipules. Flowers in opposite corj-mbs, or spiked alternately ; 

 sometimes in dense heads ; very seldom 

 axillary and solitary. Calyx tubulai', 

 persistent, inferior. Corolla hj^ogy- 

 nous, monopetalous, tubular, deciduous, 

 generally with an irregular limb. The 

 aestivation of both imbricated. Sta- 

 mens usually 4, didj'namous, seldom 

 equal, occasionally 2. Ovary 2- or 

 4-celled ; ovules erect or ascending, 

 anatropal or amphitropal, solitary or 

 twin ; style 1 ; stigma Ijifid or un- 

 divided. Finiit nucamentaceous, some- 

 times beri'ied, composed of 2 or 4 

 nucules in a state of adliesion. Seeds 

 erect or ascending ; albimien none, or 

 fleshy ; embryo always erect ; radicle 

 inferior. 



The difference between these plants 

 and Labiates consists in the concrete 

 carpels of Verbenes, then- terminal 

 style, and the usual absence of reser- 

 voirs of oil from theu' leaves, as con- 

 trasted with the deeply 4-lobed ovary 



and aromatic leaves of the latter. There are, however, particular species of Labiates 

 which approach Verbenes very closely ; so that Brown has remarked that it has been 

 difficvdt to distinguish the two Orders. Verbenes differ from Myopoi*ads and Selagids 

 in the position of the radicle, which in the former pomts to the base, and in the two 

 latter to the apex of the fruit. Acanthads and Figvvorts differ m not being nucamenta- 

 ceous. Brown states, that although all the genera of Verbenes have an embryo whose 

 radicle points towai'ds the base of the fruit, yet many of them have pendulous seeds, 

 and consequently a radicle remote from the umbiUcus. Aug. de St. Hilaire asserts 

 that all, except Avicennia, have a sessile erect ovule arising from the base of each cell. 

 Brown, however, places Avicennia in Myoporads. Possibly Mr. Bentham is right 

 in suggesting that Verbenes and Myoporads are not really distinct, and would be better 

 re-united. 



The species of the Order are rare in Eui'ope, northern Asia, and North America ; 

 common in the tropics of both hemispheres, and m the temperate districts of South 

 America. In the tropics they become shi-ubs, or even gigantic timber, but in colder 

 latitudes they are mere herbs. 



The properties of Verbenes are much the same as those of Labiates ; but they are not 

 of importance in a medicinal or economical point of view. Callicarpa lanata bark has 

 a peculiar subaromatic and slightly bitter taste, and is chewed by the Cingalese when 

 they camiot obtain Betel leaves ; the Malays reckon the plant diuretic. Stachytarplieta 

 jamaicensis is a plant to wliich the Brazilians attach the same false notions of powerful 

 action as Em-opeans formerly did to the common Vervam. Its leaves are sometimes 

 used to adulterate Chinese Tea, and are sold in the Austrian dominions under the name 

 of Brazilian Tea. The expressed juice of the leaves is given in Tortola, as a cooliiig 

 pm'gative to children, in doses of 1 or 2 table-spoonfuls. In the French West India 

 Islands it is employed m decoction for clysters, and also as an anthelmintic. It has, 

 moreover, some reputation for promotmg the menstrual discharge. In Brazil the frt-sh 

 leaves bruised are appUed to ulcers ; it is then called Urgerao, or Jarbao. Auguste de 

 St. Hilaire speaks in terms of high praise of the agreeable properties of the .aromatic 

 Lantana pseudo-thea, used m infusion as tea. It is highly esteemed in Brazil, where 



Fig. CCCCXLII.— CaUicarpa longifolia. 1. flower opened longitudinally {lloohcr) ; 2. part of fruit 

 of C. americana {Gartner) ; 3. its aeed. 



