536 



The whole order is noxious and foetid, hence it affords 

 some of the most violent medicines, as Colocynth and 

 Elaterium. Even melons themselves, if taken too plen- 

 tifully, are said to be injurious, though in ripening they 

 part with much of their unwholesome quality." The ge- 

 nera are Gronovia, Anguria, Elaterium, Sicyos, Melothria, 

 Bryonia, Cucurbita, Cucumis, Trichosanthes, Momordica, 

 Feuillea, Zannonia, Passijlora. " The last affords some 

 of the most beautiful of all flowers; many of them are 

 fragrant." 



Order 35. Senticos^. The briar and bramble tribe. 

 The genera are Alchemilla, Aphanes, Agrimonia, Dryas, 

 Geurn, Sibbaldia, Tormentilla, Potentilla, Co mar um, Fra- 

 garia, Rubus, Rosa. Poteriam and Sanguisorba are in- 

 serted at the head of this list, in the Linnaean manuscript. 

 See the following order. 



Order 36. Pomace/e. The apple and plum kinds, 

 consisting, in the first section, of Spircea, Ribes, Sorbus, 

 Cratcegus, Mespilus, Pyrus; in a second, of Punka; and, 

 in a third, of Chrysobalanus, Primus and Ami/gdalus. 

 These two orders are treated of together, in the Preelec- 

 tions, it is not said for what reason, though their strict 

 affinity cannot be overlooked. " Many of these plants," 

 says Linnaeus, " are shrubs, most of the whole are peren- 

 nial, very few annual. They are rarely smooth. The 

 leaves are alternate, mostly compound. Stipulas always 

 two, large. None of the plants properly climb, though 

 some brambles support themselves on their neighbours. 

 Their distinguishing character principally consists in the 

 receptacle of the stamens being equally that of the ger- 

 men, but raised, at the sides of the calyx, above the ger- 

 men. Hence, the calyx bearing the stamens, they are 

 calycanthemi. The fruit is either superior or inferior, there- 

 fore that distinction is not always important. In Rosa, for 

 instance, the part in question seems inferior, but is in fact 

 the contrary, for the seeds are really inserted into the in- 

 ner side of the calyx, exactly as in Mespilus, with this 



