CHAMBERS'S INFORMATION FOR THE PEOPLE. 



Labiatse. 



uncommon in ditches. Its stigma, formed of two 

 lips, displays peculiar irritability. 



LABIATVE. A very large natural order, remark- 

 able for the uniformity of structure and properties 

 which prevails among the members. The labiate 

 or lipped corolla immediately suggests the mint, 

 sage, thyme, dead-nettle, horehound, and lavender, 

 with which every one must be more or less familiar. 

 They are herbs or under-shrubs, with quadrangular 

 stems, and opposite, divided or undivided, exstipu- 

 late leaves, replete with receptacles of aromatic 

 oil. The flowers are in oppo- 

 site, nearly sessile, axillary ver- 

 ticillasters, resembling whorls, 

 as in the dead-nettle ; some- 

 times solitary ; calyx, tubular 

 and persistent ; corolla, bilabi- 

 ate, the upper lip (a) being 

 entire or bifid, the lower (b) 

 three-cleft, the upper in estiva- 

 tion overlapping the lower ; 

 stamens, four, didynamous, the 

 upper sometimes wanting ; ovary, deeply four- 

 lobed, seated on a fleshy disc, each lobe containing 

 one erect ovule ; style, simple ; stigma, bifid ; 

 fruit, from one to four small nuts inclosed within 

 the persistent calyx. 



The following plants well exemplify the order : 

 Lamium album, the white dead-nettle of our wall- 

 sides ; Salvta ojficinalis, the common garden sage ; 

 Rosmarinus offictnalis, the well-known rosemary 

 shrub ; Thymus Serpyllum, the wild thyme ; La-v- 

 andnla vera, the sweet-scented lavender ; Mentha 

 viridts, spearmint, and M. piperita, peppermint ; 

 M. sylvestris is the Greek Heduosmon, translated 

 mint in Scripture ; Nepeta Glechoma, the ground 

 ivy ; Marrubium -vulgare, the true medicinal hore- 

 hound ; Ballota nigra, black horehound, well 

 known for its heavy oppressive smell ; Prunella 

 vulgaris, self-heal ; Ajuga reptans, the common 

 bugle ; with basil, marjoram, betony, hyssop, and 

 other culinary and medicinal herbs. 



ACANTHACE-iE. There are nearly 100 genera 

 enumerated under this order, and upwards of 1400 

 species of herbs and shrubs, principally inhabiting 

 tropical regions. Leaves, simple, opposite, and 

 without stipules ; inflorescence, terminal or axil- 

 lary ; flowers, showy, in spikes with two or three 

 bracts to each ; calyx, in four or five divisions, 

 and persistent but in many of the species incon- 

 spicuous or obsolete, its place being supplied by 

 the large bracts ; corolla, monopetalous, and 

 usually irregular, with the limb ringent or bilabi- 

 ate, and deciduous ; stamens, two or four, and in 

 the latter case didynamous ; anthers, one or two 

 celled, sometimes bearded, as in Acanthus, and 

 bursting longitudinally ; style, simple ; stigma, 

 one or two lobed ; fruit, a two-celled capsule, 

 elastically two-valved ; seeds, supported on a fili- 

 form podosperm. The elastic dehiscent capsules, 

 wingless seeds with hooked dissepiments, and 

 imbricated flowers, are distinguishing features. 



Examples of the genera are Acanthus, Thun- 

 bergia, Goldfussia, Lankesteria, Ruellia, and Jus- 

 ticia. The species of Acanthus are found chiefly 

 in the south of Europe ; they are plants with 

 graceful foliage, and the leaves of the A. mollis is 

 said to have furnished Callimachus with patterns 

 for the capital of the Corinthian pillar. The 

 corolla varies considerably in the different genera ; 

 being bilabiate in Tusticia, funnel-shaped in Ruel- 

 10* 



lia, and campanulate in Thunbergia, the species 

 of which are exotic climbers. 



Acanthus. 



The properties of the order are little known. 

 The Arabs use the leaves of an Acanthus by way 

 of salad ; Justicia pectoralis, boiled in sugar, 

 yields a syrup used in the West Indies as a 

 stomachic ; and J. panictilata is said to be the 

 basis of the famous French tonic, Drogue Amere. 

 A valuable deep blue dye is said to be obtained 

 from one of the East Indian Ruellias. 



MONOCHLAMYDE/E. 



The plants in this division have either no floral 

 envelope, or have one only. In the former case, 

 the pistil and stamens are naked ; in the latter, 

 they are surrounded by a calyx, there being no 

 parts corresponding to the petals of a true corolla. 

 The following are the orders : 



ANGIOSPERM^:. 



Nyctaginacese Marvel of Peru 



order. 



*Amaranthaceae Amaranths. 

 *Chenopodiaceae Goosefoots. 



Basellaceae Basella order. 

 *Scleranthaceac Knawel order. 



Phytolaccaceae Phytolaccads. 



Petiveriaceae Petivera order. 

 * Polygonaceae Buckwheats. 



Begoniacese Begoniads. 



Lauraceae Laurels. 



Atherospermaceae Plume Nut- 

 megs. 



Myristicaceae Nutmegs. 



Monimiaceae Monimia order. 



Proteaceae Protea order. 

 *Elaeagnaceae Oleaster. 



Penaeaceae Penasa order. 

 *ThymeIseaceae Mezereons. 



Aquilariaceae Aquilaria order. 



Chailletiaceae Chailletia order. 



Samydaceae Samyd.a order. 



Homaliaceas Homalium order. 

 *Santalaceae Sandal-woods. 

 *Aristolochiaceac Birthworts. 



Nepenthaceae Pitcher plants. 



Datiscaceas Datisca order. 



*Empetraceas Crowberries. 

 *Euphorbiaccae Spurgeworts. 



Scepacese Scepa order. 

 Callitrichaceas Starworts. 

 *Ceratophyllaceae Hornworts. 

 *Urticaceae Nettleworts. 



Artocarpaceae Bread-fruits. 

 *Ulmacese Elms. 



Stilaginaceae Stilago order. 



Lacistemaceae Lacistema or- 

 der. 



Podostemonacese River- weeds. 



Chloranthacea: Chloranthads. 



Saururaceae Lizard's tails. 



Piperaceae Peppers. 

 Myricaceae Gale order. 

 *Salicaceae Willows. 



Altingiaceas Liquidambars. 

 Betulacese Birches. 

 *Corylaceae Hazels and Oaks. 



Casuarinacea: Beefwoods. 



Platanacese Plane-trees. 



Juglandaceae Walnuts. 



Garryaceas Garrya order. 



Rafflesiaceae Rafflesia order. 



Cytinaceoe Cistus Rapes. 



Balanophoraceas Balanophoras. 



GYMNOSPERM/E. 



"Coniferae Pines or Cone- 

 bearers. 

 "Taxaceae Yews, 



Gnetaceae Jointed Firs. 

 Cycadaceac Cycad and Zamia 

 order. 



