RUIZ ANTHER. 541 



and makes it assume an elongated spurred form. The Ergot of Eye, 

 or spurred Eye, has a peculiar effect in promoting the contraction of 

 the uterus, and is on this account used in medicine. Ergotted rye, 

 when regularly used for food, has the effect of causing what has been 

 called convulsive and gangrenous ergotism, the former disease being 

 distinguished by insensibility and convulsions, ending in death; the 

 latter by dry gangrene, which attacks the fingers and toes, causing 

 sloughing of these parts, and sometimes proving fatal by exhaustion. 

 The poisonous effects of Ergot are attributed to the presence of a fixed 

 oil. 



1102. Order 211. Rhizamhcre, the Bhizanth or Ehizogen Family. 

 (Apet. Diclin.) Flowers usually monoecious or dioecious, sometimes 

 . Perianth more or less perfect, superior, trimerous, tetramerous or 



pentamerous, sometimes obsolete or 0. Stamens united, often in a 

 fleshy column, to which the anthers cohere, dithecal, extrorse, opening 

 longitudinally or by pores. Ovary inferior, 1-2-celled; ovules defi- 

 nite or 00. Fruit indehiscent, pulpy, usually unilocular. Seeds 

 sometimes solitary and pendulous, at other times 00, and attached to 

 parietal placentas ; embryo albuminous or exalbummous. Leafless, 

 scaly, parasitic plants, having a fungus-like appearance. They are 

 never green, but assume a brown, yellow, or purple colour. They are 

 composed chiefly of cellular tissue, with a few scalariform and spiral 

 vessels. They are often stemless, and sometimes are furnished with n 

 creeping rhizome. In their mode of decay they resemble Fungi. Their 

 seeds present a peculiar appearance, resembling spores rather than true 

 seeds. The nature of their embryo is undetermined, and their place in 

 the natural system is still doubtful. Lindley has placed them hi a sepa- 

 rate class, intermediate between Thallogens and Endogens. They have 

 been divided by him into three distinct orders: 1. Balanophoraceas, 

 male flowers pedicellate; stamens 1-3; filaments and anthers both 

 united; ovule solitary, pendulous; fruit monospermous. 2. Cytinacese, 

 flowers in spikes; perianth 3-6-lobed; anthers sessile on a column, 

 dehiscing by slits; ovules 00, attached to parietal placentas; fruit 

 polyspermous. 3. Eafflesiaceje, flowers sessile, solitary; perianth 5- 

 lobed, with calli in its throat; anthers attached to a column, dehiscing 

 by pores; ovules 00, attached to parietal placentas; fruit polyspermous. 

 They are natives chiefly of tropical countries, but some extend into 

 temperate climates. They are found in the East Indies, South America, 

 Cape of Good Hope, and the south of Europe. Lindley enumerates 

 21 genera, and 53 species. Examples Balanophora, Cynomorium, 

 Cytinus, Eaffiesia. 



1103. Some of the plants are astringent, and have been employed 

 as styptics. Cynomorium coccineum, commonly known as Fungus meli- 

 tensis, grows in Malta, and was long celebrated for arresting hajmor- 

 rhage. Cytinus is parasitic on the roots of Cistuses hi the south of 



