LESSONS IN BOTANY. 



M0 



of the opposite BOX giving it. The plant to which the ancient 

 term refers ia supposed by botanists to be the Nardottachys 

 Jatamansi, which ia in high repute among the natives of India 

 as a perfumo and a remedy for epilepsy. However well attested 

 by anciont testimony the efficacy of spikenard may be, still, in 

 our times, it may bo doubted whether the mineral kingdom be 

 not more potont than tho vegetable in securing the affections of 

 young ladies. 



'I'll.- chief ornamental plant furnished to our gardens by this 

 natural order is the Cfntranthus ruber, or crimson centranthus 



7;' i, remarkable for its 

 floral panicles. The corolla 

 is purple, red, white, or lilac, 

 furnished with a spur-like 

 projection at its base, and 

 only containing one stamen. 

 Its root possessor the usual 

 odour of the valerian tribe. 



SECTION XLI.-CAPEIFO- 

 LIACE.E, OB CAPEIFOILS. 

 Cluiracteristics : Calyx ad- 

 heront to the ovary ; corolla 

 epigynous ; stamens inserted 

 upon the corolla ; ovary in- 

 ferior, two or more celled, 

 containing one or more 

 seeds; seed dicotyledonous, 

 albuminous ; leaves 

 without stipules. 



The Caprifoliacea) 

 are generally trees 

 or shrubs, some 

 of them climbers. 

 The leaves are 

 opposite ; stipules 

 absent, or repre- 

 sented by hairs 

 or glands situated 

 at the base of the 

 petioles. The flow- 

 ers are complete, 



regular, or slightly 



irregular, disposed 



in a head or ter- 



m in al corymb 



springing from an 



axillary peduncle. 



The limb, or free 



part of the calyx, 



is five cleft, or 



dentated. The co- 

 rolla is tubular or 



infundibuliform or 



rotate, having a 



five-partite limb, 



ordinarily regular, 



imbricated in aesti- 

 vation. The sta- 

 mens are in number 



equal to that of the 



divisions of the 



corolla, with which 



they ore alternate ; 



or one less. A very familiar example of a member of this 



natural family is the common elder (Fig. 180). 



The natural order of Caprifoliacece is usually sub-divided by 



botanical writers into two tribes, Lonicereoe and Sambucea. 

 The CaprifoliacecB chiefly belong to temperate or cool regions 



of the northern hemisphere. They are more abundant in Central 



Asia, in the north of India, and in America, than in Europe. 



Certain species pass beyond the limits which seem to be imposed 



by nature to the family, and penetrate into tropical climes ; but 



not being able to support the full rigour of a tropical sun, they 



take refuge on mountain elevations. A small number of the 



Elder genus, that truly cosmopolitan one, are met with in Chili 



and in Australia. 



The Lonicereas, or honeysuckle tribe, composed of beautiful 



and delicately-scented plants, are general favourites as orna- 

 mental members of the vegetable world. Nor U ornament their 

 only quality ; many of them have another claim to oar regard a* 

 medicinal agents. The berries of the common honeysuckle are 

 eminently purgative, although but rarely employed in medical 

 practice. The symphorine (Symphoriearpiu parvijlora), a small 

 North American species, bearing small flowers and bright-red 

 berries, which, appearing toward* the end of summer, form HUCQ 

 an agreeable ornament in our gardens, is also usef ul as a medi- 

 cine. Its root is astringent, and is employed by the people of 



North America as a febrifuge. 

 The Linncea borealii is an 

 herbaceous evergreen plant, 

 very prevalent in the forests 

 of Sweden, the native country 

 of Linnaeus, for which reason 

 the plant was dedicated to 

 him. Likethecommonhoney- 

 suckle, it is a creeper, bat 

 its inflorescence is different, 

 each peduncle terminating 

 with two campanulate or bell- 

 shaped flowers, rose-coloured 

 within, white externally. 

 This plant, also, is employed 

 by the Swedes as a medicine. 

 In addition to the Loni- 

 cereae already mentioned 

 there are many 

 beautiful species 

 cultivated in our 

 gardens. Among 

 the honeysuckles 

 we have the ever- 

 green honeysuckle 

 (Caprifolium sem- 

 pervirens), a native 

 of North America, 

 the stem of which 

 is climbing, the 

 leaves yellow or 

 white below, the 

 flowers bright-red 

 externally, beauti- 

 ful, but inodorous. 

 Then we have the 

 honeysuckle of 

 Japan (Lonicera 

 Japonica), a climb- 

 ing species, termed 

 in its native coun- 

 try gold and silver 

 tree, because its 

 flowers are first 

 white, then yellow. 

 Finally, we have 

 the Tartarian ho- 

 neysuckle (Lonicera 

 Tartarica), which 

 is not a climbing 

 plant. It has leaves 

 of a blniau-Treen ; 

 flowers rose-co- 

 loured externally, 



white internally ; and ruddy fruits. Passing on to the conside- 

 ration of the elder tribe, the common elder tree (Sambuats nigra) 

 first comes under our notice. It is quite a cosmopolite, known 

 almost everywhere, and consecrated by ancient traditions. Every 

 part of this tree diffuses, when bruised, a disagreeable odour, and 

 a bitter acrid juice exudes. Its berries are familiar in England 

 as the basis of elder wine. In many parts of Germany they are 

 boiled, and in that state eaten as a favourite article of food. 

 The guelder rose (Viburnum Opulus), an illustration of which is 

 given in Fig. 181, partakes to some extent the properties of the 

 common elder. The Viburnum Lnntana, or " wayfaring tree," 

 possesses berries and leaves which are slightly astringent, but 

 the external bark in so acrid that in some countries it is employed 

 as a blister. 



179. THE CRIMSON CENTRAKTHUS (CENTRAHTHUS RUBfiR). 180. THE ELDER (SAMBUCTS K1GRA). 

 181. THE (iU ELDER ROSS (VIBURNUM OPULU8). 



