The Botany of Hingham. 93 



4. SARRACENIACEJE. (PlTCHER-PLANT FAMILY.) 



The only Hingham species is the Side-saddle Flower. The 

 leaves are singularly formed in a swollen tube and are generally 

 more or less filled with water, containing drowned insects. 



Sarracenia, Town. 



purpurea, L. Pitcher-plaut. 



5. PAPAVERACEiE. (POPPY FAMILY.) 



Three species only are found in this town, and but one of these 

 is indigenous, — the beautiful Blood-root, so called from the color 

 of its juice. This, if taken into the stomach, acts as an emetic 

 and a purgative. The juice of some of the species has highly 

 narcotic properties, — that of the Papaver somniferum, dried in 

 the sun, forming the Opium of commerce. 



Argemone, L. 



Mexicana, L. Prickly Poppy. Waste places. Rare. 



Chelidonium, L. 



mqjus, L. Celandine. 



Sanguinaria, Dill. 



Canadensis, L. Blood-root. 



6. FUMARIACE.SJ. (FUMITORY FAMILY.) 



An order containing many beautiful plants which have a 

 watery juice. The flowers are irregular. But two species are 

 found in Hingham. 



Corydalis, Vent. 



glauca, Pursh. Pale Corydalis. 



Fumaria, Tourn. 



officinalis, L. Fumitory. 



7. CRUCIFERJB. (MUSTARD FAMILY.) 



An exceedingly useful family to man. furnishing many of the 

 vegetables which he uses for food or as condiments, such as 

 Turnips, Cabbages, Radishes, Cauliflowers, Cress, and Mustard. 

 They all contain nitrogen, hence their highly nutritious qualities. 

 Many of them have also an essential oil containing sulphur. 

 Though acrid and pungent to the taste, none of them are poi- 

 sonous. Plants of this family are easily recognized by their 

 having four petals, which are regular and placed opposite to each 

 other^ in pairs, forming a cross. This has given them the name 

 of Crucifera3. 



Nasturtium, R. Br. 



officinale, R. Br. Water-cress, 

 palustre, D C. Marsh-cress. 

 Armoracia, Fries, Horse-radish. 



Cardamine, Tourn. 



hirsuta, L. Bitter Cress, 

 hirsuta, var. sylvatica, Gray. 



