TREMANDRACE^E TAMARICACE.E. 367 



1 is anterior, and larger than the rest, and 2 are alternate with the 

 upper and lateral sepals ; sometimes there are 5 petals, 2 of them very 

 minute ; the anterior petal, called the keel, is often crested. Stamens 

 hypogynous, 8, monadelphous or diadelphous ; anthers clavate, usually 

 1 -celled, and having porous dehiscence. Ovary mostly bilocular; 

 ovules solitary, rarely 2 ; style simple, curved ; stigma simple. Fruit 

 dehiscing in a loculicidal manner, or indehiscent. Seeds pendu- 

 lous, anatropal, strophiolate at the hilum ; albumen fleshy ; embryo 

 straight. Shrubs or herbs with alternate or opposite exstipulate leaves. 

 They are found in all quarters of the globe. Lindley mentions 19 

 genera, including 495 species. Examples Polygala, Securidaca, 

 Krameria. 



773. In the appearance of their flowers, the plants of this order 

 have a resemblance to Papilionaceae. They are distinguished, however, 

 by the odd petal being inferior, and the sepal superior. They are 

 generally bitter, and their roots yield a milky juice. Polygala Senega, 

 Snake-root, is a North American species, the root of which is used 

 medicinally in large doses as emetic and cathartic ; and in small doses 

 as a stimulant, sudorific, expectorant, and sialagogue. It contains an 

 acrid principle, called polygalin, senegin, and polygalic acid. The 

 name of Snake-root was given from its supposed use as an antidote to 

 the bite of the rattle-snake. Krameria triandra, a Peruvian plant, 

 furnishes Rhatany-root, which is employed as a powerful and pure 

 astringent in cases of haemorrhage, and chronic mucous discharges. 



774. Order 21. Tremandracete, the Porewort Family. (Polypet. 

 Hypog.} Sepals 4-5, slightly coherent, deciduous with a valvate aesti- 

 vation. Petals 4-5, deciduous, with an involute aestivation. Stamens 

 hypogynous, distinct, 8-10, 2 before each petal ; anther di- or tetra- 

 thecal, with porous dehiscence (fig. 324). Ovary bilocular, with 1-3 pen- 

 duloxis ovules in each cell ; style 1 ; stigmas 1-2. Fruit a 2-celled, 

 2-valved capsule, with loculicidal dehiscence. Seeds anatropal, pendu- 

 lous, with a caruncula at the apex; embryo cylindrical, straight, in the 

 axis of fleshy albumen. Heath-like shrubs, with hairs usually glan- 

 dular, alternate or verticillate exstipulate leaves, and solitary axillary 

 1 -flowered pedicels. They are natives of New Holland. Nothing is 

 known regarding their properties. Lindley mentions 3 genera, in- 

 cluding 16 species. Examples Tetratheca, Tremandra. 



775. Order22. Tamaricace,theTamariskFamily. (Polypet.Hypog.) 

 Calyx 4-5 partite, persistent, with imbricated aestivation. Petals 4-5, 

 hypogynous, or perhaps inserted at the base of the calyx, marcescent, 

 with imbricated aestivation. Stamens hypogynous, free or monadel- 

 phous (fig. 311), equal to the petals in number, or twice as many; 

 anthers dithecal, introrse, with longitudinal dehiscence. Ovary uni- 

 locular ; styles, 3. Fruit a 3-valved, 1 -celled capsule, with loculicidal 

 dehiscence. Seeds numerous, anatropal, erect or ascending, comose ; 



