PETALOIDE^. 679 



Europe, Nortli America, and the northern parts of Asia. Ex- 

 amples : — Tofieldia, Helonias, Asagraea, Veratrum, Uvularia, 

 Colchicum. There are 31 genera, and 130 species. 



Properties and Uses. — The plants of this order are ahnost 

 universally poisonous owing to the presence of powerful alka- 

 loids. In proper doses several are valuable medicines, possess- 

 ing emetic, purgative, diuretic, acrid, and narcotic properties. 



Jsagr^a officinalis. — This plant, a native of Mexico, is the principal, if not 

 the only source of the Sabadilla, Cevadilla, or Cabadilla of the shops. This 

 consists' of fruits and seeds. The seeds are officinal, thf>y are principally em- 

 ployed as a source of the alkaloid Veratria. Veratria has been used ex- 

 ternally as a rubefacient, in rheumatism, gout, and neuralgic aflFections, and 

 also internally in similar affections in doses of one twelfth to one sixth of a 

 grain. It is a most powerful poison. Cebadilla seeds have been employed 

 internally as an anthelmintic. They are called lice seeds by the Germans, 

 because when powdered and applied externally, they destroy vermin. 



Veratrum — V. Subadilla is thought by some to be one of the sources of 

 Sabadilla. The rhizomes of V. album are commonly known as White Hel- 

 lebore roots. They contain the alkaloid Veratria, and another alkaloid named 

 Jervin. White Hellebore is a narcotico-acrid poison. It has been employed 

 externally as an errliiiie, and for destroying vermin ; and internally as a pur- 

 gative and anodyne in gout, &c. The rhizome of V. viride. Green Hellebore, 

 is now much employed in the United States under the name of American 

 Hellebore, Swamp Hellebore, and Itch Wood, as an arterial sedative in in- 

 flammatory affections. In its local action it resembles .White Hellebore. 



Uvularia — The species of this genus are said not to possess the usual 

 poisonous properties of the Melanthaceae, but to be simply astringent in their 

 action. 



Colchicum autumnale, the Colchicum or Meadow Saffron. — Both the 

 seeds and corms of this plant are employed medicinally in gout and rheumatism. 

 In improper doses they act as narcotico-acrid poisons. They owe their pro- 

 perties to a peculiar alkaloid, called Colchicia. The once celebrated French 

 nostrum for gout, called Eau medicinale d'Husson, owed ilis properties to 

 Colchicum, The Hermodactyls of the Greek physicians and Arabians, and 

 which were largely employed by them in diseases of the joints, have been 

 shown by Planchon to be the corms of C. variegatum, the source of the Her- 

 modactyls of the present day. Some other Hermodactyls had a different origin. 



Natural Order 261. Gilliesiace^. — The Gilliesia Order. 

 — Small herbaceous bulbous plants, with grass-Uke leaves. 

 Flowers perfect, umbellate, spathaceous. Perianth in two whorls, 

 the outer consisting of 6 or 8 petaloid leaves, the inner minute, 

 and either a single lip-like organ, or urn-shaped and 6-toothed. 

 The outer portion of the perianth is regarded by Lindley as 

 a whorl of bracts. Stamens 6, all fertile, or 3 sterile. Ovary 

 superior, 3-celled. Fruit capsular, 3-celled, loculicidal. Seeds 

 numerous, with a black brittle testa; tmbryo curved, in fleshy- 

 albumen. 



Distribution, ^'c. — They are natives of Chili. There are 2 

 genera, Gilliesia and ISIiersia, and 5 species. Their properties 

 and uses ar^ unknown. 



Natural Order 262. Pontederaceje. — The Pontederia 

 Order. — Aquatic plants. Leaves sheathing at the base, with 

 occasionally dilated petioles. Flowers irregidar, spathaceous. 

 Perianth inferior, 6-parted, petaloid, tubular. Stamens 3 or 6, 

 inserted on the segments of the perianth; anthers introrse. Fruit 



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