58 HERBACEOUS PLANTS 



Ord. 4. MAGNOLIACEAE. Being woody trees and shrubs are not repre- 

 sented in the Herbaceous Beds. Two species are growing against the 

 Laboratory wall. The bark of Drimys ivinteri was used by Capt. Winter, 

 who commanded the " Elizabeth " under Sir Francis Drake in 1579, " as 

 a spice and medicine for scurvy " on his return voyage from the Straits of 

 Magellan. The Tulip-tree, Liriodendron, is of this order. 



Ord. 5. ANONACEAE, Custard Apples, tropical trees and shrubs. 

 Nutmeg, Monodora, is in the Palm House. 



Ord. 6. MENISPERMACEAE. The Moon-seeds are- tropical climbing 

 shrubs, but M. canadense grows against the East Wall. Cocculus indicus 

 is used as a poison for fish. 



Ord. 7. BERBERIDEAE. A bed in the middle is reserved for 

 the smaller Barberries, but the larger species, Herberts steno- 

 phyllum^ Darwinii) etc., must be looked for in the shrubberies 

 in Plots D and H. The roots of the May Apple, Podophyllum 

 peltatum, supply the valuable liver medicine, podophyllin. 

 P. versipelle and P. emodt are grown in the Garden. The 

 Epimediums are Alpine herbs. 



Ord. 8. NYMPHAEACEAE. The Water-lilies will be found in the 

 south tank and in the tank in No. 6 Green-house. 



PARIETALES 



Ord. 9. SARRACENIACEAE, sometimes in No. 12 Green-house. 



Ord. 10. PAPAVERACEAE. The Opium Poppy, Papaver 

 somniferum^ yields a narcotic oil which when dried is sold 

 as opium, which as a medicine may be reckoned " amongst 

 the greatest blessings to mankind, but by its misuse, the 

 greatest curse." We in Oxford should remember that it was 

 at Worcester College just over a century ago that the brilliant 

 author of the "Confessions of an Opium Eater" first had 

 resort to the drug to allay pain. It has been calculated that 

 ^"20,000,000 worth is annually consumed by mankind. 



Ord. ii. FUMARIACEAE. The Fumitory Family include the 

 delicate British species of the genera Fumaria and Corydalis 

 (C. cheilanthifolia, thalictrifolia, wilsoni annuals), and the 

 larger Dicentra spectabilis of N. America, a most beautiful 

 herb. 



