529 



a dreadful cholic, threw him into a sleep for twenty-four 

 hours, out of which he awoke cured. The ancients gave 

 an infusion of this plant in wine, before they amputated 

 a limb. Its narcotic qualities render it very useful in epi- 

 lepsy and hysteria, though to be cautiously administered. 

 Nothing can be more dangerous in a state of pregnancy. 

 The editor of Hernandez, Hist. Nat. Mexic. Book viii. 

 chapter 28, speaks of this fruit as eatable, without any 

 soporific or injurious effect." 



Linnaeus himself appears to have been doubtful about 

 Catesbcea, which he has marked as akin to his Dumosce. 

 Giseke has subjoined an observation, not well founded, 

 of the Solandra of Swartz being hardly distinct from Da- 

 tura. 



Order 29. Campanaceje. These Linnaeus has noted 

 as most nearly allied to the 24th order. " They never 

 form trees, rarely shrubs. Leaves in every instance alter- 

 nate ; calyx and corolla five-cleft ; stamens five ; pisti. 

 one, except Evolvulus, which has at least a deeply four- 

 cleft style, if not four distinct ones. Fruit a capsule. 

 They are milky plants, at least while young and tender. 

 Their qualities therefore are purgative, and but slightly 

 poisonous." 



Convolvulus and Campanula, with their respective al- 

 lies, constitute this order. To the latter Viola is supposed 

 to be connected, through the medium of Lobelia. Par- 

 nassia, though in the manuscript rightly said to be not 

 milky, stands at the end, its affinity being indicated by 

 the nature of the flower-stalk, calyx, as well as the seeds 

 and their situation, but especially the nectaries and stigma. 

 The anthers come one after another and impregnate the 

 latter, retiring subsequently in their turns. Their close 

 application to that part, as Linnaeus conceived, rendered 

 the access of extraneous pollen impossible, "hence," says 

 he, "no more species ^of this genus can be produced.'' 

 This alludes to his hypothesis of new and permanent spe- 

 cies, or even genera, having been generated, from time to 



VOL. II. 2 M 



