6U 



GENTIANACE^. 



[Perigynous Exogexs. 



The Order of Gentianworts is not more remarkable for the diversity of its colours 

 than it is for the uniformity of the secretions which its various species exliibit. Bitter- 

 ness m every part, root, leaves, flowers, fruit, in annuals, perennials, and shrubs, is so 

 much their characteristic that the following account of the pm'poses to which they are 

 apphed is little more than a list of repetitions ; with tliis exception, that they in some 

 cases pi'ove narcotic and emetic. 



The common Gentian root of the diniggists, a pure and intense bitter, is for the most 

 part Gentiana lutea, an herbaceous plant, with axiUary whorls of yellow flowers, common 

 on the Alps of Europe. It is principally employed as a tonic, but sometimes relaxes 

 the bowels, producmg nausea and a kind of intoxication, G. campestris and Amarella, 

 common on the heaths and hills of some parts of England, are domestic substitutes ; as 

 are G, Catesbsei in the United States, G. Kurroo in the Himalayas, and G. punctata, 

 pannonica, pm'purea, and others, on the Continent of Europe. G. cruciata has been 

 superstitiously behoved to possess especial \'irtues because its leaves gi'ow in the form 

 of a cross, and it is one of the thousand panaceas for hydrophobia. Agathotes Chii'ayta, 

 a Himalayan annual, is remarkable for the pm'eness of its bitter. The whole plant is 

 pulled up at the time the flowers begin to decay, and di'ied for use. Its febrifugal 

 properties are in high estimation with Em'opean practitioners in India, who use it in- 

 stead of Cinchona when the latter is not to be procured. Cicendia hyssopifolia, a com- 

 mon Indian annual, Erytlu-aea Centaurium ( Centaury), a beautiful httle wild plant, with 

 pink flowers, Chlora perfohata, various species of Lisianthus, Tachia, Sabbatia, Coutoubea, 

 &c. &c., possess quahties very nearly of the same kind, varjing principally in intensity, 

 and are employed as substitutes for Gentian in different countries. The root of Frazera 

 Walteri, a North American biennial, is a pure, powerful, and excellent bitter, destitute 

 of aroma, and is fully equal to Gentian. When fresh it is reported to be emetic and 

 cathartic. The roots have been imported into Europe as a sort of Calumba, and have 

 acquired in consequence the name of American Calumba. Menyanthes trifohata, a com- 

 mon bog plant, called Buck Bean (quasi Bach or Beck, {. e. Brook Bean) is intensely 

 bitter. Its rhizome is reckoned one of the most valuable of known tonics ; but large 

 doses produce vomiting, and frequently powei'ful diaphoresis. It is recommended in 

 intermittent and remittent fevers, gout, herpetic complaints, rheumatism, dropsy, scurvy, 

 and worms. Withermg says that it may be used as a substitute for Hops in making 

 beer. ViUarsia nymphoides acts in a similar way, but is weaker. 



GENERA, 



I. Gentiane.e.— Corolla Agathotes, Don. 



imbricated, 



Gentiana, Tounief. 



Asterias, Ren, 



Ccelantha, Froel, 



Coilantha, Borlih, 



Basy Stephana, Ren. 



Ciittera, Raf. 



Pneumonanthe, Bung, 



Basycephala, Borkh, 



Cnninalis, Borkh. 



Thylacites, Ren, 



Crossocephalum, Frcel. 



Crossopetalum, Roth. 



Urananthe, Gaud. 



Gentianella, Borkli. 



Ericala, Ren. 



Ericoiki, Bork. 



C'alathiana, Froel. 



Chondrophyllum, Bng, 



Eiithalia, Bung, 



Tetrorhiza, Ren. 



Endotriche, Froel. 



Eiirythalia, Ren. 



Cyanea, Ren, 



Oreophylax, Endl. 

 Pleurogyne, Eschsch. ■ 



Lomatogonhim, A, Br, 



Trochantha, Bung, 

 Swertia, Linn, 

 Stellera, Turcz. 

 Anagallidium, Griseb. 

 Ophelia, Don. 



Monobothrium, Hochs, i 



Henricca, Lem. Lis, 

 Frasera, Walt. 

 Halenia, Borkh. 



Tetragonanthus, Stell. 

 Chironia,i«n7i, 



Rceslinia, Monch. 

 Plocandra, E. Mey. 

 GjTandra, Gris. 

 Orphium, E. Mey. 



Valerandia, Jseck, 

 Exacum, Linn. 

 Lapethea, Gris. 

 VojTa, Aubl. 



Vohiria, Juss, 



Lita, Schreb. 



Humboldtia, Neck. 



Leiphaimos, Schlecht, 

 Ixanthus, Griseb. 

 Hippion, Spreng. 



Slevogtia, Reichenb, 

 Cicendia, Adans. 



Microcala, Link, et II, 



Franqiievillia, Gray. 



Hippocentaurea, Schlt, 

 Centaurella, L. C. Rich. 



Centaurium, Pers. 



Bartonia, Miihlenb. 



Andrews ia, Spreng. 

 Erythraea, Ren. 



Xanthea, Reichenb. 

 Zygostigma, Griseb. 

 Can.scora, Lam. 



Pladera, Sol, 



Hoppea, Willd. 

 Pootia, Dennst. 

 Orthostemon, R, Br. 

 Sabbatia, Adans. 

 Chlora, Linn. 

 Blacksionia, Huds, 

 Xanthanthus, Griseb. 

 Callopisma, M. et Zucc, 

 \ Dejanira, Cham, 

 Schultesia, M. et Z. 

 Hockinia, Gardn. 

 ! Anacotus,Gv\%Qb, 

 ! Pagaea, Griseb. 

 Petalostyhs, Ginseb. 



Omphalostigma, Gris. 

 Lisyanthus, Aubl, 



Lisianthus, Linn, 

 j Macrocarpcea, Griseb, 

 I Sphcerocarpc^a, Griseb, 

 Choriophyllum, Gris. 

 Chelonanthus , Griseb. 

 Irlhachia, Mart, et Zucc. 

 Helia, Mart, et Zucc. 

 . Eustoma, Bon. 



Urannrdhus, Griseb. 

 Leianthus, Griseb. 

 Coutoubea, Aubl. 

 I Ci^^wftra, Mart, et Zucc, 



Picrium, Schreb. 

 I Prepusa, 3Iart. et Zucc. 

 Tachiadenus, Griseb. 

 Symbolanthus, Don. 

 [Tachia, Aubl. 

 I Myrmecia, Schreb. 



Leiothamnus, Griseb. 

 Eudoxia, Don. 

 Crawfurdia, Wall. 

 Belmontia, E. Mey. 

 Exochaenium, Gns. 

 Sebaea, Soland. 

 Lagenias, E. Mey. 

 Schiibleria, Mart. 



Curtia, Cham, 



Thurnheissera, Pohl, 

 Apophragma, Griseb. 

 Exadenus, Griseb. 

 Desfontainia, R. et S. 



Linhia, Pers, 

 ? Henicostemma, Blum. 

 ?Tripterospermum, Blm, 



Micrsea, fliers. 

 ? Glyphospermum, Don. 



II, Menyanthes, — Co- 

 rolla induplicate. 



Menyanthes, Linn. 



3Ienonanthes, Haw. 

 VLLlarsia, Fcnt. 



Nymphtxanthe, Rchb, 



Renealmia, Houtt. 



Trachysperma, Raf. 



Cumada, Jon. 

 Limnanthemum, Gmcl. 



Nymphoides, Tounief. 



Waldschmidia, Wigg. 



Schweyckherta, Gmel. 

 ? Mitreola, Linn. 



Cynoctonum, Gmel, 



Numbers, Gen. 60. Sp, 450. 



CincJionacccB. 



Position. — Orobanchacea?. — Gentianace.e.- 



Polcmoniaccc^. 



