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imbricate or combined with valvate. Corolla hypogynous, with the limb 

 ibur- or five-fid, the division similarly valvate or imbricated. Stamens 

 inserted on the tube of the corolla, equal and alternate, or reduced to one. 

 Anthers introrse, bilocular, opening longitudinally. Ovary free, of two 

 cells, sometimes subdivided, each into two others, by the reflexion of their 

 walls, each inclosing one or more ovules fixed at the internal angle, 

 ascending, or more frequently peltate. Style simple, terminated by an 

 undivided, or more rarely, bilobed stigma. Fruit fleshy or capsular, with 

 septicidal dehiscence, rarely septifragal. Seeds often winged or peltate, 

 presenting in the axis of a fleshy or cartilaginous perisperm, an embryo 

 with plano-convex, or foliaceous cotyledons, the cylindrical radicle turned 

 towards the hilum, or parallel to it. Species almost entirely tropical. 

 Trees or shrubs, rarely herbs, distinguished from the Apocyanese by their 

 watery juice, and the stipules which usually unite the petioles of the 

 opposite and simple leaves. Flowers solitary in the axils of these leaves, or 

 grouped in corymbs, in axillary or terminal panicles. 



Sub-order 1. StrychnecB. ^Estivation of corolla valvate; fruit, a two- or 

 three-celled berry or capsule, seeds peltate, embryo rather large. Examples : 

 Strychnos, Curare, &c. 



Sub-order 2. Loganiece. Estivation of corolla convolute ; fruit a 

 bilocular capsule or nuculanium, seeds peltate, sometimes winged. 

 Examples : Logania, Gelsemium. 



Sub-order 3. Spigeliece. ^Estivation of corolla valvate; fruit a didymous 

 capsule, seeds apterous, embryo small, cotyledons inconspicuous. Examples: 

 Spigelia, Coelostylis, Mitreola. 



The plants of this order embrace the most virulent poisons known. One 

 of these, Strychnos nux-vomica, a tree found on the coasts of Malabar and 

 Coromandel, has for its seeds the deadly nux-vomica. The fruit is much 

 like an orange, the seeds being embedded in a mucilaginous pulp. Two 

 alkaloids are obtained from the nux-vomica, strychnine and brucine, 

 occurring in combination with igasuric or strychnic acid. Strychnine is 

 also found in other species of Strychnos. The poison, called deute, used 

 by the Malays to envenom their daggers and creases, is obtained from 

 Strychnos tieute. The wourali, or ourari, with which the South American 

 Indians poison their arrows, likewise owes its properties to strychnine. 

 False angustura bark is obtained from the nux-vomica tree. Less than a 

 grain of strychnine has been known to kill a dog. This poison is used to 

 advantage in North America, for killing wolves and other wild animals, by 

 spreading it on pieces of meat laid in accessible and frequented places. 

 Spigelia marilandica, or Pink-root, is employed as a vermifuge. 



Spigelia marilandica. Pink-root. United States (pi. 63, ßg. 12). 



Order 98. Apocyanace^, the Dogbane Family. Calyx usually five- 

 partite, persistent. Corolla hypogynous, gamopetalous, regular, usually 

 five-lobed, deciduous ; aestivation contorted, twisting in some cases to the 

 right, in others to the left. Stamens five, inserted on the corolla, alternate 

 with its segments ; filaments distinct ; anthers two-celled, dehiscing 

 longitudinally ; pollen granular, globose, or three-lobed, immediately applied 



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