692 SYSTEMATIC BOTANY. 



ness, but although this has been satisfactorily disproved, it is still unknown 

 for vvhat purposes they are so largely required, and with such a powerful 

 poison it would be very satisfactory to have this circumstance explnined. A 

 large quantity of both nux vomica seeds and strychnia are, however, employed 

 by gamekeepers, &c. to destroy vermin, &c. The bark o( S. Nux-Vomica\s also 

 powerfully poisonous owing to the presence of brucia. As already noticed, it 

 was formerly confoimded with cusparia or angusiura bark (see p. 502) : hence 

 it is also known a.fi false angustura bark. This bark is also frequently sold in 

 Calcutta under the name of Rohun, from which circumstance it has been sub- 

 stituted for the fi'brifuge bark of Soy^nida febrifugn, the Rohuna tree (see 

 p. 491). An aqueous extract of the bark of Slrychnos Tieute is the Java 

 poison, called Upas Tieute. It owes its poisonous properties to strychnia. The 

 juice of S, toxifera, is the basis of the celebrated IVourali, Urari, or Ourari 

 poison of Guiana. From S. cogens, a similar arrow poison is also prepared 

 by some of the Indian tribes in South America. Wourali has been recently 

 much employed in tetanus, but with very uncertain effects. The wood of 5. 

 cotubrina and S. Ugustrina is employed in certain parts of Asia as an anti- 

 dote to the bites of poisonous snakes, hence it is known under the name of 

 Lignum Co/wftrmMW or Snake-wood. Several other kinds of wood are, how- 

 ever, known in Asia, under the same name. Lignum colubrinum has been also 

 employed as a cure for intermittent fevers, and for other purposes. It contains 

 strychnia, and therefore requires much caution in its employment. The bark 

 ofS. P^cifrfor/Mewrt is extensively employed in the Brazils as a substitute for 

 Cinchona Bark. It contains neither strychnia nor brucia, and is devoid of 

 poisonous properties. It is frequently "erroneously called copalchi bark 

 (See Croton for the origin of this barii). The dried ripe seeds of S.pota-. 

 tormn are employed by the Hindoos to clear muddy water, hence the name 

 of Clearing-nuts which is commonly applied to them. Their efficacy is due to 

 the presence of albumen and casein, which act as fining agents in a similar 

 manner to analogous agents emploved for beer and wine. The pulp of the 

 fruit is eatable, as is also that of S. Pseudoquina; and according to Roxburgh, 

 that of S. Nux Vomica ; this is greedily eaten by birds. 



Natural Orders 146, and 147. Diapensiace^, and Stilbace^. 



These are two small orders of shrubby plants which are placed 



by Lindley in his Gentianal alliance, and regarded by him as 

 nearly allied to Loganiacece. The Diapensiacece, (of which 

 there are but 2 genera, and 2 species, the uses of which are 

 unknown), are natives of North America, and Northern Europe; 

 and the Stilbacece, (of which there are 3 genera, and 7 species, 

 without any known uses), are natives of the Cape of Good 

 Hope. 



Natural Order 148. GENTiANACEiE. — The Gentian Order. 



General Character. — Herbs, or rarely shrubs, usually 



smooth. Leaves (Jig. 412) usually simi)le, entire, opposite, 

 sessile, and strongly ribbed ; rarely alternate, or stalked, or 

 compound, always cxstipulate. Flowers (Jig. 412) almost 

 always regular, variously coloured, axillary or terminal. Calyx 

 inferior, y)ersistent, usually with 5 divisions, occasionally 4, 6, 8, 

 or 10. Corolla persistent, its divisions corresponding in nimi- 

 bcr to those of the calyx ; astivation imbricate, twisted, or in- 

 duplicate. Stamens as many as the segments of the corolla, 

 and alternate with them. Ovary 1 -celled, or rarely partially 2- 

 cellcd from the i)rojcction inwards of the i)lacentas, with nume- 

 rous ovules ; placentas 2, parietal (fig. 604), anterior and 

 posterior to the axis, and frequently turned inwards; style 1; 

 stigmas 2, right and left of the axis. Fruit capsular (Jig. 664), 



