434 VALEEIANACE^E. 



important is Coffea arabica, a native of Arabia and of the borders of 

 Abyssinia, which furnishes the Coffee of commerce. The fruit is suc- 

 culent, and the horny albumen of the seed is the part used as a bever- 

 age. It contains a bitter principle, denominated Caffein, which is 

 identical with that got from Tea. The import of Coffee into the 

 United Kingdom, in 1847, was 19,783 tons, and in 1848, it was 

 24,553 tons. The seeds of some other plants of the order, as species 

 of Galium, have been used as substitutes for Coffee. Among the 

 plants yielding dye, the most interesting is Rubia tinctoria, the root of 

 which is the Madder of commerce. It contains three volatile colouring 

 matters madder purple, orange, and red. The latter is in the form 

 of crystals having a fine orange-red colour, and called Alizarine. This 

 is the substance which yields the turkey-red dye. Rubia Munjista, 

 (cordifolid), Munjeet, is also used for a similar purpose. Oldenlandia 

 umbellate, is employed in the East Indies as a substitute for Madder, 

 and so is the root of Morinda citrifolia, under the name of Sooranjee. 

 The latter yields a peculiar colouring matter, called by Dr. Anderson, 

 Morindine. It is extracted from the bark of the root, and is procured 

 in the form of minute acicular crystals of a fine yellow colour. It is 

 incapable of producing colours with alum and iron mordants, but with 

 turkey-red mordant it produces a dark red. Many of the plants of 

 this order, especially in the section Cinchonese, have very showy and 

 fragrant flowers. The species of Musscenda and Calcophyttum, are re- 

 markable on account of one of their sepals becoming large and showy. 

 Asperula odorata, Wood-ruff, gives out its fragrance when dried. 



906. Order 103. Valerianaceie, the Valerian Family. (Monopet 

 Epigyn.) Calyx superior, its limb being either membranous or pap- 

 pose. Corolla gamopetalous, inserted into the top of the ovary, tubu- 

 lar, 3-4-5-lobed, sometimes gibbous or spurred at the base. Stamens 

 1-5, adherent to the corolla and alternate with its lobes. Ovary 

 inferior, 1-3-celled ; ovule solitary, pendulous, style filiform ; stigmas 

 1-3. Fruit dry, indehiscent, crowned with the limb of the calyx, 

 1 -celled, in consequence of 2 cells being abortive. Seed solitary, 

 pendulous, exalbuminous ; embryo straight ; radicle superior. Herbs, 

 with opposite exstipulate leaves, and cymose inflorescence. They are 

 found in temperate climates. Lindley gives 12 genera, and 185 species. 

 Examples Patrinia, Valeriana, Centranthus. 



907. The plants belonging to the order are strong-scented or aro- 

 matic, and some of them have been used as bitter tonics, anthelmintics, 

 and antispasmodics. The root of Valeriana officinalis is the common 

 medicinal Valerian. It has a bitter acrid taste, and a peculiar odour, 

 which is fetid and disagreeable in the dry state. In the form of 

 tincture and infusion, it is prescribed in cases of hysteria. Other 

 species of Valerian, as V. celtica, Phu, sitchensis, and Saliunca, have 

 similar properties. Valerian is known to have a peculiar effect on 



