582 



Order 95.— GENTIAN ACE^E. 



high, paniculate above. Leave3 1 — 2f by \ — If entire. Flowers roee-color, nol 

 inelegant. JI. — The use of this nauseous and poisonous weed lias become almost 

 universal, and illustrates the despotic power of habit. Sir Walter Raleigh has 

 the honor of first introducing the practice of smoking into England, more than 

 200 years ago, and in his house at Islington, is still to be seen a shield bearing his 

 arms, with a tobacco-plant at the top. (Loudon.) 



3 N. longiflora Cav. "With long, spreading branches; lvs. acuminate, radical 

 ovate-lanceolate, short-petioled, cordate-lanceolate, sessile ; fls. lateral, solitary, 

 pedicellate, arranged in a simple terminal raceme ; cor. tube filiform, very pubes- 

 cent, 5 times longer than the calyx, segments lance-ovate, acute. — Gardens South. 

 Cor. white, variegated with purple and yellow. 



13. FABIANA imbricata Ruiz. & Pav. is a fino little shrub resembling 

 a Tamarix, with small (6'' long) ovate lvs. covering tho numerous branches and 

 small violet-white fls. \ Chili. 



Order XCV. GENTIANaCELE. Gentianworts. 



Herbs smooth, with a colorless, bitter juice, with entire, exstipulate leaves. Flow- 

 ers regular, mostly centrifugal in inflorescence and convolute in the bud. Calyx per- 

 sistent; corolla withering, its lobes alternate with the stamens. Ovary free, 1 -colled 



with 2 r more or less projecting par- 

 ietal placentae. Fruit a 2-valved r 

 septicidal, co-seeded capsule, rare- 

 ly baccate. Seeds with a minute, 

 straight embryo in the axis of 

 fleshy albumen. 



Genera 60. species 450, found in every 

 part of thn world. 



Properties. — An intensely bitter prin- 

 ciple called gentianine pervades the 

 whole order without exception, residing 

 in every part, rendering them tonis and 

 febrifugal. The gentian of the shops is 

 most commonty tho product of Gen- 

 tians lutea, but most other species, and 

 species of other genera, as Liinnanthe- 

 muni, Sabbatia, Frnsera, &c, are valued 

 in medicine for the same properties, and 

 may be used in its 6tead. Many are- 

 cultivated for ornament. 



Fig. 664. 1, Gentiana Andrewsit. 

 2, The calyx and capsule. 8, The cor- 

 olla laid open, showing the folds (2- 

 lobed) between the proper petals, and 

 the stamens attached at base. 4, Cap- 

 sule cut across. 5, Seed magnified, with 

 its large, loose testa. 



Tribes and Genera. 



II. Memyantiir^.— Cor. valvate-induplicats in the bud. Leaves alternate or radical, (a) 



a Petals beardless or nearly so. Leaves simple, floating Limnantiikmitm. 9 



a Petals bearded inside. Leaves trifoliate, erect Menyanthes. 8 



L Gentiane^e. — Corolla convolute (in No. 7, imbricate) in the bud. Leaves opposite, (b) 



b Sepals only 2. Corolla 4-parted, tubular campanulate Obolabia. T 



b Sepals as many as the petals, more or less united, (c) 



C Corolla lobes furnished each with a spur in the midst ., Halenia. 6 



O Corolla lobes furnished each with a large central gland Feasor a. & 



• Corolla lobes plain, without spurs or glands, (d) 



d Leaves reduced to scales. Corolla deeply 4-parted Bartokia. 4 



d Leafy.— Corolla tubular, blue or white Gentiana. 9 



— Corolla tubular, rose or pink Erythema. 2 



— Corolla rotate, rose or pink , .Saeuati a. 1 



