624 EHRETIACE®.—CORDIACE. 
remarkable for their mucilaginous properties ; hence they are 
mostly harmless, and possess little value as medicinal agents. 
Some species have roots of a reddish colour, which renders them 
useful as dyeing agents. 
Anchusa (Alkanna) tinctoria, Alkanet, has a dark blood-red root; this 
is chiefly employed to give colour to oils, &c., which are used in perfumery, 
and for dyeing weods and other purposes. 
Borago officinalis, Borage-—The root is mucilaginous and emollient. 
The herb imparts coolness to beverages in- which it is steeped owing to its 
containing nitrate of potash. 
Echium.—The broken leaves, stems, and flowers of species of Echium 
are employed in India as an alterative, tonic, demulcent, and diuretic. 
They are sold in the Indian bazaars under the name of Gouzabdam. 
Mertensia maritima is called the Oyster plant, from its leaves haying 
the taste of oysters. © 
Symphytum.—S. officinale, Comfrey, is reputed to be vulnerary. The 
young leaves and shoots are sometimes eaten as a vegetable. It issaid to form 
a good substitute for spinach. The root contains much starch and mucilagi- 
nous matters, and when finely scraped and laid on calico to about the thick- 
ness of a crown piece, it forms an excellent bandage for broken limbs. 
—S. asperrimum has been recommended for cultivation in this country as 
food tor pigs, &c. It has long been used as a forage plant in Circassia and 
in Russia. 
Order 6. EHRETIACES, the Ehretia Order.— Diagnosis.—These 
plants resemble the Boraginacez in most of their characters, but 
they differ in having their carpels so completely united as to form 
a2- or morecelled ovary ; intheir terminal style ; and drupaceous 
fruit. They are usually characterised also by the presence of 
a small quantity of albumen in their seeds, but this is some- 
times absent. By many authors, as Bentham and Hooker, the 
Ehretiacex are made a sub-order of the Boraginacee. 
Distribution and Numbers.—Chiefly tropical plants. Illus- 
trative Genera :—Khretia, Linn.; Heliotropium, Linn. There 
are about 300 species. 
Properties and Uses.—Unimportant. 
Ehretia.—Some species of Ehretia have edible fruits. The roots of 
Ehretia buxifolia, when fresh, are employed in India by the native prac- 
titioners as an alterative. 
Heliotropium.—Some species have a delicious odour, as the Peruvian 
Heliotrope ( Heliotropium peruvianum).— Heliotropium indicum is known in 
Liberia under the name of the ‘ Erysipelas Plant,’ from its common use, in 
the form of an infusion, as a fomentation to inflamed parts. 
Order 7. Corptace&, the Cordia Order.—Character.— 
Trees with alternate scabrous leaves, exstipulate. Calyx and 
corolla 5-merous; exstivation of the corolla imbricate-twisted. 
Stamens 5, alternate with the segments of the corolla; anthers 
versatile. Ovary superior, 4—8-celled, with 1 pendulous ovule 
in each cell; stigma 4—8-cleft. Fruit drupaceous, 4—8-celled, 
or frequently some of the cells are abortive; placentas axile. 
Seeds 1 in each cell, pendulous by a long cord; albwmen none ; 
