572 



SYSTEMATIC BOTANY. 



Fi^: 952. 



Fig. 953. 



(capitula) {fig. 402), surrounded by a involucre. Calyx {fig. 

 953) superior, with a membranous or pappose limb, and sur- 

 rounded by an invo- 

 lucel. Corolla {fig. 

 953) tubular, mono- 

 petalous, the limb 

 4 — 5-lobed, generally 

 irregular {figs. 402 

 and 953), and with 

 an imbricated aesti- 

 vation. Stamens 4, 

 epipetalous {fig. 953) ; 

 anthers distinct. 



Ovary inferior ( fig. 

 953), 1 -celled ; ovule 

 solitary {fig. 953), 

 pendulous; style and 

 stigma simple. Fruit 

 dry, indehiscent, sur- 

 mounted by the pap- 

 pus-like calyx {figs. 

 451 and 952). Seed 

 Fig. 952. Fruit of Scabiosa purpurea, surmounted by With fleshy albumen, 



the pappose calyx. Fig. 953. One of the central and havine; a straight 



florets of the capitulum of Scaftiosa purpwrea, with , ° •, ^ 



the ovary, &c., cut vertically. embryo, and a su- 



perior radicle. 

 Distribution, ^-c. — Chiefly natives of the South of Europe, and 

 of North and South Africa. A few species are found in this 

 country. Examples of the Genera : — Dipsacus, Knautia, Sca- 

 biosa. There are about 170 species. 



Properties and Uses. — Some are reputed to possess astringent 

 and febrifugal properties, but as remedial agents they are alto- 

 gether unimportant. 



Dipsacus FuUonum. Fuller's Teazel. — The dried capitula are used by 

 fullers in dressing cloth, for which they are well adapted, as their hard stiff 

 hooked bracts raise the nap, without tearing the stuff like metal instruments. 

 In 1859 no less than 19,000,000 of teazels were imported into this country 

 from France. 



Smbiosa succisa is called the Devil's-bit Scabious, on account of its 

 abruptly terminated rhizome or root. It is said to be astringent, and to 

 yield a green dye. The inflorescence sometimes developes in an umbellate 

 manner, as in a specimen described by the Author, in the Pharmaceutical 

 Journal, vol. xvii. p. 3G3, thus exhibiting a marked deviation from the 

 development in capitula, which is the ordinary arrangement in the plants 

 of this order. 



Natural Order 128. CALYCERACEJi;. — The Calycera Order. — 

 Character. — Herbs. Leaves alternate, exstipulate. Flowers 

 in capitula, surrounded by an involucre. Calyx superior, irre- 

 gular, 5-lobed. Corolla monopetalous, regular, valvate, 5-lobed. 



