POLEMONIACE.E. 459 



2-valved, spuriously many-celled; seeds few, large and apterous, pendu- 

 lous, erect or transverse. These are reckoned separate orders by many. 

 There are upwards of 100 known genera, and about 650 species. 

 Examples Bignonia, Spathodea, Eccremocarpus, Cyrtandra, Didy- 

 mocarpus, Crescentia, Pedalium, Sesamum. 



951. There are many showy plants in this order. Their flowers 

 are frequently large and trumpet-shaped. None of them are noted 

 for marked medicinal properties. Some are timber trees, others fur- 

 nish dyes and articles of diet, while a few have bitter and astringent 

 qualities. The species of Bignonia are conspicuous objects in tropical 

 forests. Their wood sometimes exhibits a crucial arrangement (fig. 

 107.) From Bignonia Chica, the Indians extract a red ochreous colour- 

 ing matter, with which they paint their bodies. Crescentia Cujete, 

 the Calabash-tree, is found in the tropical regions of America, and pro- 

 duces a large melon-like fruit, containing a slightly acid pulp which is 

 sometimes eaten. Its pericarp is hard, and after removal of the pulp 

 it is used as cups and bottles. Teel seeds, the produce of Sesamum 

 orientale, supply a bland oil, called by the Arabs Siritch. It is used 

 under the name of gingilee oil to adulterate oil of almonds. The fruit 

 of the species of Uncaria and Martynia, the Unicorn-plant, is furnished 

 with hooked processes. In the perfect fruit of Pretrea (Martynia) 

 Zanguebarica, there are 6 cells formed by the mode in which the 

 placentas unite, and of these cells two are seedless. 



952. Order 129. Poiemontacete, the Phlox Family. (Monopet. 

 Hypog.) Calyx inferior, in 5 divisions, persistent, sometimes irregular. 

 Corolla regular, rarely irregular, 5-lobed. Stamens 5, inserted on 

 the middle of the tube of the corolla, and alternate with its segments ; 

 pollen often blue. Disk lobed. Ovary free, 3 -celled; ovules ana- 

 tropal or amphitropal ; style simple ; stigma trifid. Fruit a 3 -celled, 

 3-valved capsule, with septifragal dehiscence. Seeds angular or oval, 

 or winged, often enveloped in mucus, containing spiral threads, as- 

 cending, in a single or a double row ; embryo straight, in the axis of 

 a fleshy or horny albumen; cotyledons foliaceous, elliptical or cordate; 

 radicle inferior, next the hilum. Herbaceous or climbing plants, with 

 opposite or alternate, simple or compound leaves. They inhabit tem- 

 perate countries chiefly, and they abound in the north-western part 

 of America. There are 17 genera enumerated by Lindley, including 

 104 species. Examples Polemonium, Phlox, Coba3a (fig. 318). 



953. Many of the plants of this order have showy flowers, and are 

 commonly cultivated in flower-borders. Connected with the episperm 

 of various species of Collomia are numerous spiral cells, and when the 

 seeds are moistened with water, the mucus surrounding the cells is dis- 

 solved, so that the spiral fibres are uncoiled. The movements of these 

 fibres, when uncoiling, are beautifully seen under the microscope. 

 The fibres carry with them a mucous envelope which has the appear- 



