76 HERBACEOUS PLANTS 



It is an Indian herb containing a poison like atropine, which, 

 when prepared from D. metel, is used by Thugs to stupefy 

 their victims, and also by Mahommedans in the concoction of 

 hashisch. To the third, the Cestreae, belong Nicotiana, the 

 Tobacco genus, and Petunia, a well-known bedding plant. 

 Salpiglossis, Schizanthus, and Browallia are grouped in the 

 fourth tribe. 



Ord. 124. SCROPHULARIACEAE. The Great Mullein, Ver- 

 bascum thapsits, is one of the finest of our roadside weeds, 

 and it ranges from Aberdeen to the Himalayas. The Snap- 

 dragon, 'Antirrhinum ; Toadflax, Linaria ; Monkey-flower or 

 Musk, Mimulus ; and the green-house Calceolarias and Pent- 

 stemons have peculiar characters of their own, which take a 

 tree-form in the Japanese Pauloivnia imperialis. 



To another section of the order belong the Foxglove, 

 Digitalis ; the Speedwell, Veronica ; Eyebright, Euphrasia ; 

 and a plant which we hope will never be absent from the 

 Oxford Garden Sibthorpia from the south-west of England. 



Ord. 125. OROBANCHACEAE. The Broomrapes, being parasitic upon 

 other plants, have lost their green colouring matter. Lathraea sqtiamaria 

 has been said to set subterranean traps for catching insects, but this is a myth. 



Ord. 126. LENTIBULARIACEAE include the carnivorous Pinguicida and 

 Utricularia. Our Oxford Bladderwort, U. vulgaris, grows in Wolvercote 

 ponds and S. Hincksey ditches, and was first noticed to digest young fish 

 by Mr. G. Simms (G. C. D.). 



Ord. 128. GESNERACEAE include the showy exotic genera Gloxinia, 

 Achimenes, and Streptocarpus, which are well represented in the Glass- 

 houses. Ramondia from S. Europe is hardy. 



Ord. 129. BIGNONIACEAE include the tree Catalpa from N. America, 

 and the climbers Bignonia, Tecoma, and Eccremocarpus from Chili ; but 

 none of the latter are thoroughly hardy with us. 



In the south-east corner is a bed containing 



Ord. 131. ACANTHACEAE. In the beds is a clump of Bear's 

 Breech, Acanthus mollis, the decorative leaves of which are 

 believed to have suggested the beautiful Corinthian capital in 

 architecture. Under glass are species of Thunbergia^ Ruellia^ 

 and Justifies, 



