456 VIOLACEZ.—SAUVAGESIACEX. 
3 valves, each valve bearing a placenta in its middle. Seeds 
having a straight erect embryo in the axis of fleshy albumen. 
Division of the Order and Illustrative Genera.—The order has 
been divided as follows :— 
Sub-order 1. Violex.—Having irregular flowers and appendaged 
anthers. Illustrative Genera :—Viola, Linn. ; Ionidium, Vent. 
Sub-order 2. Alsodex.—With regular flowers, and anthers not 
furnished with spurred appendages. Illustrative Genera :— 
Alsodeia, Thouars; Pentaloba, Lour. 
Distribution and Numbers.—The herbaceous plants of the 
sub-order Violeze are chiefly natives of Europe, Siberia, and 
North America; the shrubby mostly of South America. The 
Alsode are exclusively natives of South America, Africa, and 
Malacca. There are about 300 species belonging to the order. 
Properties and Uses.—The plants of this order are chiefly 
remarkable for emetic and purgative properties. A few also are 
mucilaginous, and others have been reputed to be anodyne. 
The emetic property is due to a peculiar alkaloid named violine, 
which greatly resembles, if it be not identical with, emetine, the 
active principle of the true Ipecacuanha root. (See Cephaélis.) 
This principle is more especially found in some of the shrubby 
South American species, but it also occurs, to some extent at 
least, in many of the herbaceous European species, 
Ionidium.—The root of I. Ipecacuanha, Woody Ipecacuanha, is the False 
Ipecacuanha of Brazil; it is employed as an emetic in that region. Other 
species of Tonidium, as I. parviflorum, I. Itubu, and others, possess similar 
properties. The roots of J. parviflorum (I. microphyllum, Humb.) constitute 
the Cuchunchully de Cuenca, which is much used in Venezuela as a remedy 
for elephantiasis. 
“iola—The flowers of V. odorata, the March or Sweet Violet, have been 
always highly esteemed for their fragrance. An infusion or syrup of the 
petals is a useful chemical test, as its violet or purplish colour is turned 
red by acids, and green by alkalies. The syrup is employed partly on 
account of its colour and odour, but chiefly as a laxative for very young 
children. The flowers were formerly regarded as anodyne. The roots, 
stems, and seeds have been also regarded as emetic and purgative. They 
contain violine, a principle which, as just stated, is closely analogous to, if 
not identical with, emetine.— V. pedata, a native of North America, possesses 
similar properties to V. odorata.— Viola canina, the Dog Violet, is said to be 
efficacious in certain cutaneous diseases.— Viola tricolor, a common indigenous 
plant, is the species from which all our cultivated varieties of Pansies or 
Heartsease have been derived. The Violets generally have been used on 
the Continent as demulcent expectorants. 
Order 9. SAUVAGESIACER, the Sauvagesia Order.—C harac- 
ter.—This order is by some botanists considered as merely a 
sub-order of Violaceze. It is distinguished by the flowers of its 
species having either 5 perfect stamens alternate with 5 sterile 
ones, or numerous stamens. If there are only 5 stamens, these 
are also opposite the petals ; the amthers are likewise extrorse, 
