58 DENTARIA LACINIATA. CUT- LEAVED TOOTH-WORT. 



It may be well here to explain to the wild-flower collector that 

 the " cruciferous order " to which our perennial belongs, though 

 a very large one, is very easily recognized. Cruciferous, or 

 cross-bearing, refers to the petals, which are in a cross-like series 

 of four. Then the stamens are arranged so that there are four 

 of equal length, with two shorter ones ; and it was from this fact 

 that the Linnaean class of Tetradynamia was so styled. There 

 may be some plants in other orders with four petals, but they are 

 not likely to have this peculiar arrangement of the stamens with 

 the other condition. In addition to this there is an absence of 

 bracts, or diminutive leaves along the flower stalks, and all these 

 circumstances together will generally enable the student to 

 decide on the natural order when it is met with ; and herein we 

 may see the advantages of the natural over the old sexual or 

 ardficial systems. Many points are taken into consideration, and 

 we are less liable to go astray than when only one point is 

 regarded as the chief foundation stone. 



It may be noted that the English writers refer to our plant as 

 the "coral-root," and not "Tooth-wort" as we have it, and this 

 seems to be really the older name. The " Dentaria," or " Tooth- 

 wort," of the oldest writers of more modern times, was a plant 

 of the order OrobancJiiacca; or " Broom-rapes," in which the 

 "scales of root represented teeth." This is worth remembering, 

 because some of our modern authors, in explaining why our plant 

 is called Dentaria, tell us it is from dens, a tooth, "because of the 

 scales," etc., when really the root of our plant has no scales. 

 The old definition has been carried to the new plant. In view 

 of the incongruity Mrs. Lincoln, in her " Botany," maybe justified 

 in remarking that it is as likely to have had its name from being, 

 perhaps, an ancient remedy for the tooth-ache ! 



In regard to medical virtues our Tooth-wort does not seem to 

 have much to boast of. Dr. F. Peyre Porcher makes no mention 

 of the plant. Darby, in his "Botany of the Southern States," 

 says the roots are pungent; and the " Treasury of Botany " says : 

 " The roots of Dentaria diphylla (scarcely different from our 



