436 SYSTEMATIC BOTANY. 



used for wicks, " which on great and solemn occasions are burnt in the lamps 

 of the Hindoos placed before the shrines of their gods." 



Natural Order 1 2. Sarraceniaceje. — The Sarracenia, Water- 

 Pitcher, or Side-Saddle Flower Order. — Character. — Peren- 

 nial herhs, growing in boggy places, with radical hollow leaves, 

 which are pitcher or trumpet-shaped {figs. 365 and 366). 

 Sepals 4 — 6, usually 5, persistent, imbricated. Petals 5, hypo- 

 gynous, sometimes absent. Stamens numerous, hypogynous ; 

 anthers adnate, 2-celled. Carpels 3 — 5, united so as to form a 

 compound 3 — 5-celled ovary ; ovules numerous ; placentas axile ; 

 style simple and truncate, or expanded at its top into a large 

 shield-like angular process, with one stigma beneath each of 

 its angles. Capsule 3 — 5-celled, dehiscing loculicidally. Seeds 

 numerous, attached to large axile placentas ; albumen abundant. 



Diagnosis. — Perennial boggy plants, with pitcher or trumpet- 

 shaped leaves. Calyx permanent, imbricated. Carpels united 

 so as to form a compound ovary, and a 3 — 5-celled dehiscing 

 fruit, with large axile placentas ; albumen abundant. 



Distribution, ^x. — There are 8 species, of which 6 are confined 

 to the bogs of North America, 1 occurs in Guiana, and 1 is 

 found in California. Examples of the Genera : — Sarracenia, 

 Heliamphora. 



Properties and Uses. — The pitchers are lined by hairy or 

 glandular appendages, which appear to secrete the peculiar fluid 

 always found in them, but this is by no means ascertained; 

 the use of this secretion is unknown. The most important genus 

 is that of the 



Sarracenia.— The rhizome, rootlets, and leaves of Sarracenia purpurea have 

 been within the last few years vaunted as a specific in small-pox, but from 

 extensive trials in the hospitals of this and other countries, they appear to be 

 entirely useless. S. variolaris and S. flava have been reputed to be diuretic 

 and mildly purgative, and useful in dyspepsia, headache, &c. The properties, 

 however, of aU the species seem to be unimportant. 



Natural Order 13. Papaverace^. — The Poppy Order {figs. 

 856 — 858). — Character. — Herhs or shrubs, usually with a 

 milky juice (white or coloured). Leaves alternate, exstipulate. 

 Sepals usually 2 {fig. 856), or rarely 3, deciduous {fig. 455). 

 Petals 4 {figs. 856 and 857), or rarely 6, or some multiple 

 of 4, or very rarely wanting, usually crumpled in aestivation 

 {fig. 856), hypogynous. Stamens generally numerous {fig. 856), 

 hypogynous {fig. 857) ; anthers 2-celled, innate {fig. 426). Ovary 

 1 -celled, with 2 or more {figs. 609 and 856) parietal placentas, 

 which project more or less from the walls into its cavity, 

 and in Eomneya actually adhere in the axis ; styles absent 

 {fig. 426), or very short ; stigmas 2 {fig. 857, sti), or many 

 {fig. 426, sti), opposite the imperfect dissepiments; when nu- 

 merous, they form a star-like process on the top of the ovary 

 {fig. 426); ovules numerous. Fruit 1-celled, and either pod- 

 shaped, with 2 parietal placentas {fig. 858), or capsular, with 



