541 



leaves, deciduous, except u\Alyssum calycinum and Bras- 

 sica Erucastrum. Petals four, with claws ; some species 

 of Lepidium and Cardamine only having flat, or straight 

 petals. The receptacle in most, but not in all, is furnished 

 with glands. Stamens six, the two opposite ones shorter, 

 or at least more spreading." (A very few species have 

 only four or two stamens.) " Fruit commonly a pod, 

 with two valves, two cells, and many seeds. A few ge- 

 nera have a solitary seed, either imbedded in pulp, as 

 Crambe ; or in a lamellated flat seed-vessel, as Isatis ; or 

 in an angular one, as Buiiias." 



" The plants of this order are distinguishable into Si- 

 liquosa and Siliculosa, the former having an oblong, the 

 latter a rounded pod. But it being difficult to define the 

 precise limits of each, Linnaeus refers to the Siliguosce 

 such as have a stigma without a style, and to the Silicu- 

 los<z such as have a style to elevate the stigma, which 

 character is conspicuous in every instance, except in 

 Draba, where the style is but short." 



" It is of importance to observe whether the calyx in 

 the present order be closed or spreading ; that is, whether 

 the leaves composing that part be parallel, so that their 

 sides touch each other," or horizontally distant." 



" The nature of a Siliqua, or Pod, appears from what 

 has been already mentioned. It differs from a Legume, 

 in having the seeds attached to each suture, or margin." 



" All these plants have a more or less acrid watery 

 juice ; hence their external application excites redness in 

 the skin, and their internal use irritates the finer fibres. 

 Nature therefore is solicitous to expel them, and, in con- 

 sequence of their watery nature, by the kidneys, hence 

 they are all diuretic. Salt, being of a corrosive quality, 

 produces scurvy ; but salt is secreted from the body by 

 the promotion of urine, though it must first be dissolved 

 in a watery menstruum ; consequently the herbs in ques- 

 tion rank among the chief antiscorbutics, especially water- 

 cresses and scurvy-grass. They ought never to be used 



