DODECANDRIA. 151 



bulbous rooted plants, which are without their leaves about 

 one half the year. It is a large genus, the known species 

 which grow in Great Britain alone, amounting to ninety-six. 

 Some of them have scapes, and others have proper stems, 

 and they nearly all are acid to the taste. The juice of com- 

 mon Sorrel, (Oxalis acetosella,) being expressed and evapo- 

 rated, yields crystals of oxalic acid, which in solution is em- 

 ployed to remove stains from linen. Several of them are 

 pretty ornamental flowers 



ORDER V. DECAGYNIA. Stamens 10. Styles. 10. 



GENUS Phytolacca. Name, from the Greek, phuton, a plant, 

 and the Latin, lacca, lac ; that is to say, a plant whose fruit 

 gives a red color, like lac. There are several species of this 

 genus, one of which is common in this country, and is known 

 by the trivial name of Poke, or Cocum. It is the Phytolac- 

 ca Decandria of botanists. Loudon says, that the name Poke, 

 is a corruption of Pocan, the name by which this plant was 

 known in Virginia. The Poke is a very conspicuous plant 

 by road sides, and waste grounds, growing six or eight feet 

 high, with purple stems and large ovate leaves. Flowers in 

 long white racemes, succeeded by flat red berries. The 

 juice of these berries stains a deep purple, and is often used 

 by children to paint their faces. In the fall of the year, the 

 robins and other birds take great delight in eating this fruit. 



CLASS XL DODECANDRIA. Stamens 12. Orders 6. 



This, remarks Mr. Loudon, " is a Fl s- 



small incongruous class, containing no 

 extensive genus of importance, except 

 Euphorbia. Some botanists have 

 been of opinion that it ought to be 

 cancelled, but it is probable that Lin- 

 iseus understood the application of his 

 own principles, as well as some of 

 his more pretending followers, and it is 

 certain that if the Linnaean plan can be made to act success 

 fully, its artificial arrangement must be rigorously observed.'* 

 Its name is from the Greek, dodeka, twelve, arid aner, a 

 stamen, and therefore signifies twelve stamens. But it will 



What is said of the genus Oxalis ? 



