614 SYSTEMATIC BOTANY. 



voured hy cattle in Panama. It resembles a candle in shape ; 

 hence the tree is named the Candle-tree. 



Natural Order 175. Bignoniace^. — The Bignonia or 

 Trumpet-flower Order. — •Usually trees or shrubs, which are 

 often twining or climbing, rarely herbs. Leaves exstipulate, 

 usually opposite. Inflorescence terminal. Flowers irregular. 

 Calyx entire or divided. Corolla 4 — 5-lobed. Stamens 2 

 or 4; anthers 2-cel\ed. Ovary seated in a disk, 2 — 4-celled ; 

 placentas axile; style I. Fruit 2-valved, capsular, 2 — 4-celled. 

 Seeds numerous, sessile, large, winged; albumen none ; embryo 

 with large leafy cotyledons. 



Distribution, Sfc. — Chiefly tropical plants. Examples : — 

 Bignonia, Calosanthes, Tecoma, Jacaranda, Eccremocarpus. 

 There are 44 genera, and 450 species. 



Properties and Uses. — The chief interest of the plants in 

 this order lies in their beautiful flowers. From the leaves of 

 Bignonia Chica the Indians of South America obtain a red dye 

 called Chica or Carajuru, which is used for painting their 

 bodies and arrows, and for other purposes. This Chica must not 

 be confounded with Chica or Maize Beer (see Zea Mays), and 

 other Chicas, which are common drinks of the Indians in South 

 America. Some species of Tecoma have astringent properties. 

 The wood of several plants of the order is used in Brazil. 

 The bark of Jacaranda bahamensis is used as an anthelmintic 

 in Panama. 



Natural Order 176, AcANTHACEiE. — The Acanthus Order. 

 — Herbs or shrubs. Leaves opposite, simple, exstipulate. 

 Flowers irregular, bracteated. Cahjx 4 — 5-parted, or consist- 

 ing of 4 — 5 sepals, persistent, much imbricated ; sometimes 

 obsolete. Corolla lipped. Stamens 2, or 4 didynamous. Ovary 

 seated in a disk, 2-celled ; placentas parietal, although ex- 

 tended to the axis; style 1. Fruit capsular, 2-celled, with 

 1, 2, or many seeds in each cell. Seeds hanging by hard 

 cup-shaped or hooked projections of the placenta, without 

 wings; albumen none; cotyledons large and fleshy. 



Distribution, &'c. — Chiefly tropical. Examples : — Thun- 

 bergia, Ruellia, Goldfussia, Acanthus, Justicia. There arc 

 155 genera, and 1450 species. 



Properties and Uses. — Unimportant. Some species have 

 beautiful flowers. Many arc mucilaginous and bitter. From 

 Jiuellia indigutica, a blue dye is obtained in China. The species 

 of Acanthus have lobed and sinuated leaves, and furnished 

 the model of the Corinthian capital. 



Natural Order 177. — SciioPnuLARiACEiE. — The Figwort 

 Ordtiv.— Herbs or rarely shrubby plants, with generally opposite 

 leaves. Injlorcscence axillary. Flowers (Jigs. 999 and 1000) 

 anisomcrous, irroguhir. Calyx (Jig. 1000), persistent, (Jig. 693), 

 4— 5-partitc. Corolla more (Jigs. 474 and 475) or less (Jigs. 



