THALAMIFLOR.!;. 459 



Ipecacuanha of Brazil, and is employed as an emetic intliat region. It con- 

 tains emetine. Other species of lohidium. as I.parvtflorujn, I. Ituhu, &c., 

 possess similar properties. The roots of/, parvflormn (7. microphylluw, 

 Humb. & Dec.) constitute the Cuchunchuliy de Cuenga, which is much used 

 in the province of Venezuela a&a remedy for elephantiasis. 



Natural Order 21. Sauvagesiace^. — The Sauvagesia Order. 

 — General Character. — This order is by some botanists 

 considered as merely a sub-order of Violaceae. It is distinguished 

 by its plants, having either 5 perfect stamens alternate with 5 

 sterile ones, or numerous stamens ; if only 5, these are also 

 opposite the petals ; the anthers are also extrorse, and have no 

 appendages. The fruit also burst septicidaUy, and hence each 

 valve bears the placentas at its edges. 



Distribution, ^c. — They are natives chiefly of South Ame- 

 rica and the West Indies. Examples : — Sauvagesia, Lavradia. 

 Lindley enumerates 3 genera, and 15 species. 



Properties and Uses. — But little is known of the properties 

 of this order. The Sauvagesia erecta contains a good deal of 

 mucilaginous matter, and has been used internally as a diuretic, 

 and in inflammation of the bowels, and also externally, in diseases 

 of the eye. 



Natural Order 22. Droserace^. — The Sun- dew Order. — 

 General Character.— Herbaceous plants growing in boggy or 

 marshy places, frequently glandular. Leaves alternate, fringed at 

 their base {fig. 352), and with a circinate vernation. Peduncles 

 when young, circinate. Sepals and petals 5, hypogynous, equal, 

 imbricated, persistent. Stamens as many as the petals and alter- 

 nate with them, or twice, thrice, or four times as many, distinct, 

 withering, hypogynous ; anthers extrorse. Ovary 1 -celled, supe- 

 rior ; styles 3 — 5, distinct, or connected at the base ; ovules nume - 

 rous, anatropal. Fruit capsular, 1-celled, bursting by 3 or 5 

 valves, which bear the placentas in their middle or base ; hence 

 the dehiscence is loculicidal. Seeds numerous, with or without 

 an aril ; embryo minute, at the base of abundant fleshy albumen. 



Diagnosis. — Bog or marsh herbs, frequently furnished with 

 glands, and with alternate exstipulate leaves, with a circinate 

 vernation. Peduncles when young, circinate. Flowers regular 

 and symmetrical, hypogynous, with a quinary arrangement of 

 their parts, which are also persistent and imbricate. Anthers 

 extrorse. Styles several ; placentas parietal. Fruit capsular, 

 1-celled, with loculicidal dehiscence. Seeds numerous ; embryo 

 small at the base of copious fleshy albumen. 



Distribution, Sfc. — These plants are found in almost all parts 

 of the world, with the exception of the Arctic regions. They 

 inhabit bogs or marshy districts. Examples : — Drosera, Aldro- 

 vanda, Dionaea. According to Lindley, there are 7 genera, and 

 90 species, but Planchon, who has written a memoir upon this 

 order, only enumerates 6 genera, and 90 species. 



Properties and Uses. — They possess shghtly acid and acrid 



