682 



ORDER 95. GENTIANACE^E. 



high, paniculate above. Leaves 1 If by ^ if entire. Flowers rose-color, nol 

 inelegant. Jl. The use of this nauseous and poisonous weed has become almost 

 universal, and illustrates the despotic power of habit. Sir "Walter Raleigh has 

 the honor of first introducing the practice of smoking into England, more than 

 200 years ago, and in his house at Islington, is still to be seen a shield bearing his 

 arms, with a tobacco-plant at the top. (Loudon.) 



3 N. longiflora Cav. "With long, spreading branches ; Ivs. acuminate, radical 

 ovate-lanceolate, short-petioled, cordate-lanceolate, sessile ; fls. lateral, solitary, 

 pedicellate, arranged in a simple terminal raceme ; cor. tube filiform, very pubes- 

 cent, 5 limes longer than the calyx, segments lance-ovate, acute. Gardens South. 

 Cor. white, variegated with purple and yellow. 



13. FABIANA imbricata Ruiz. & Pav. is a fine little shrub resembling 

 a Tamarix, with small (6 ' long) ovato Ivs. covering tho numerous branches and 

 small violet-white fls. f Chili. 



ORDER XCV. GENTIANACE^E. GENTIANWORTS. 



Herbs smooth, with a colorless, bitter juice, with entire, exstipulate leaves. Floto- 

 ers regular, mostly centrifugal in inflorescence and convolute in the bud. Calyx per- 

 listerit; corolla withering, its lobes alternate with the stamens. Ovary free, 1 -celled 



with 2, more or less projecting par- 

 ietal placentae. Fruit a 2-valved, 

 ! septicidal, oo-seeded capsule, rare- 

 ly baccate. Seeds with a minute, 

 straight embryo in the axis of 

 fleshy albumen. 



G.enern 60, specie* 450, found in every 

 part of ttm world. 



froperties. An intensely bitter prin- 

 ciple called genttanine pervades the 

 whole order without exception, residing 

 in every part, rendering them tonic and 

 febrifugal. The gentian of the shops i 

 most commonly the product of (Jen- 



tiana hitea, but most other species, and 

 species of other penera, as Limnanthe- 

 ininn, Sabbatia, Fraaera, &c., are valued 

 in medicine for the same properties, and 

 tnay be used in its stead. Many are 

 cultivated for ornament. 



Fig. f64. 1, Gentiann Andrewsii. 

 2, Tlie calyx and capsule. 8, The cor- 

 olla laid open, showing the folds (2- 

 lobed) between the proper petals, and 

 the stamens attached at base. 4, Cap- 

 sule cut across. 5, Seed magnified, with 

 its large, loose testa. 



TRIBES AXD GENERA. 



II. MEXYANTiiF.iE Cor. valv.ite-indiiplicato in the bud. Leaves alternate or radical, (a) 



a Petals beardless or nearly so. Leaves simple, floating LIMNASTIIEMUM. 9 



a Petals be.irded inside. Leaves trifoliate, erect MENYANTIIBS. 8 



i. GBNTIANE^G. Corolla convolute (in No. 7, imbricate) in the bud. Leaves opposite, (b) 



b Sepals only 2. Corolla 4>parted, tubular campanulatc OBOLAEIA. 7 



b Sepals as many as the petals, more or less united, (c) 



C Corolla lobes furnished each with a spur in the midst , HALEXIA. 6 



C Corolla lobes furnished each with a large central gland FRASERA. 5 



a Corolla lobes plain, without spurs or glands, (d) 



d Leaves reduced to scales. Corolla deeply 4-parted BARTONIA. 4 



d Leafy- Corolla tubular, blue or white OENTIANA. 3 



Corolla tubular, rose or pink ERYTIIR^EA. 2 



--Corolla rotate, rose or pink SABBATIA. 1 



