170 



SPIGELIACE^l. I. SPIGELIA. 



Style inserted in the top of the ovarium, articulated ; stigma 

 simple. Capsule dicoccous, coccae 2-valved : with a free central 

 placenta. Seeds small ; with an immediate placentation ; testa 

 simple. Embryo small, straight, in fleshy, copious albumen. 

 Shrubs or sub-shrubs. Leaves opposite, quite entire, stipulate 

 or substipulate. Flowers disposed in secund, bracteate spikes. 

 Down or hairs on the plants simple or stellate. This order 

 differs from Gentianece, in the style being articulated ; and in the 

 immediate, not parietal placentation of the seeds. The plants 

 contained in this order are highly ornamental, like those of Gen- 

 tianece. The Spigelia anthelmia, and other annual species, are 

 used as a vermifuge ; and the root of Spigelia Marildndica, in- 

 fused in water, is anthelmintic ; and the wine is febrifugal. 



Synopsis of the genera. 



1 SPIGE'LIA. Calyx 5-parted. Corolla funnel-shaped, 5- 

 parted. Style articulated. Capsule dicoccous ; coccae 2-valved ; 

 Placentas pedicellate. 



2 MITRE'OLA. Calyx 5-toothed. Corolla funnel-shaped, 5 

 parted. Style articulated, bifid at apex. Capsule 2-lobed. 

 Placentas pedicellate. ? 



3 MITRASA'CME. Calyx 4-cleft or bifid. Corolla with an 

 angular tube ; limb 4-parted. Style bifid at the base. Capsule 

 dehiscing between the divisions of the style. 



I. SPIGE'LIA (named in honour of Adrian Spigelius, born 

 at Brussels, 1578, professor of anatomy and surgery at Padua; 

 died 1625. Author of Isogoge, in rem herbariam, Padua, 1606.) 

 Lin. gen. no. 209. Juss. gen. 103. H. B. et Kunth, nov. gen. 

 amer. 3. p. 184. Mart. nov. gen. bras. 2. p. 126. Arapabaca, 

 Plum. 



LIN. SYST. Pentdndria, Monogynia. Calyx 5-parted. Co- 

 rolla funnel-shaped ; limb 5-cleft. Style articulated. Capsule 

 didymous, dicoccous, cut round at the base ; coccae 2-valved, 

 many-seeded. Seeds attached to the central placenta, which 

 is pedicellate from the base. Sub-shrubs or herbs. Roots 

 fibrous. Stems terete, or obscurely tetragonal. Leaves oppo- 

 site, or sub-verticillate, sessile, connate from the confluent pe- 

 tioles, quite entire. Flowers disposed in terminal, secund 

 spikes, which are revolute at top, flowering upwards from the 

 base. Corollas rose-coloured, or purple. Inhabitants of boggy, 

 or hard, stony situations. 



1 . Suffruticosce. Plants suffruticose. 



\ S. PULVERULE'NTA (Mart. nov. gen. bras. 2. p. 126. 1. 192.) 

 suffruticose ; stems branched above, nearly terete, clothed with 

 pale, rusty, stellate tomentum ; leaves opposite, scabrous from 

 powder, but at length naked, broad and sub-cordate at the base, 

 on short petioles ; spikes solitary ; stamens 5 times shorter than 

 the corolla, which is funnel-shaped ; corolla and coccae powdery. 

 fj . S. Native of Brazil, in the mine provinces, at the altitude 

 of 3800 feet, on Serra de Caraca. Sp. Olfersiana, Schlecht, 

 in Linnaea, 1 . p. 206. Corollas rose-coloured, with more ob- 

 scure stripes. 



Powdery Worm-grass. Shrub 2 feet. 



2 S. FRUTICULOSA (Lam. ill. p. 474. no. 2152. Poir. ency. 7. 

 p. 345.) shrubby, glabrous ; leaves ovate-petiolate : upper ones 

 4 in a whorl ; spikes solitary, slender ; corolla funnel-shaped ; 

 stamens inclosed. Jj . S. Native of Cayenne, in woods. Habit 

 of S. anthelmia. Stem and branches quadrangular. Leaves 2- 

 3 inches long, and more than an inch broad. 



Shrubby Worm-grass. Shrb 1 to 2 feet. 



3 S. SELLOWIA'NA (Schlecht. in Linnaea, 1. p. 205. Mart. 

 1. c. p. 129.) shrubby, covered all over with yellowish, stellate 

 tomentum ; leaves opposite, on short petioles, ovate, rounded 

 at the base, acutish, scabrous above ; spikes solitary ; corollas 

 tubular ; stamens exserted. T? . S. Native of the interior of 

 Brazil. Habit of S. pulverulenta ; but the flowers are double 

 the size, and more conspicuous. 



Sello's Wormgrass. Shrub. 



4 S. GLABRA'TA (Mart. 1. c. p. 127. t. 193.) suffruticose, quite 

 glabrous ; branches nearly terete ; leaves oblong or lanceolate, 

 long-acuminated, tapering into the short petioles ; upper ones 

 usually 4 in a whorl ; spikes aggregate ; stamens 3 times shorter 

 than the corolla, which is funnel-shaped ; coccae glabrous. J? . 

 S. Native of Brazil, in the province of Bahia, in shady woods, 

 at Almada and Ilheos. Sp. laurina, Schlecht. in Linnaea, 1. 

 p. 204. Flowers 8-12 on each peduncle, fewer than in the last 

 species. Corollas flesh-coloured, with more obscure stripes, 

 about 8 lines long. 



Glabrous Worm-grass. Shrub 2 feet. 



| 2. Perennis. Herbaceous, perennial plants. 



5 S. PULCHE'LLA (Mart. 1. c. 2. p. 128. 1. 194.) quite glabrous; 

 stems furrowed-angular, almost leafless, rushy ; leaves opposite, 

 sessile, small, linear, acute ; spikes solitary ; stamens exserted, 

 but 5 times shorter than the corolla, which is tubular ; coccae 

 smooth. If.. S. Native of Brazil, in high, rocky places, near 

 Villa do Rio de Contas, at the elevation of 2800 feet. Corollas 

 showy scarlet, an inch and more long. 



Neat Worm-grass. PI. 1 to 2 feet. 



6 S. SCHLECHTENDALIA'NA (Mart. 1. c. p. 129.) stems and 

 branches tetragonal ; leaves opposite, or 4 in a whorl, sessile, 

 narrow-lanceolate, acuminated, downy on the nerves beneath ; 

 spikes solitary; stamens inclosed, 3 times shorter than the co- 

 rolla, which is funnel-shaped; coccae smooth. T(.. S. Native 

 of Brazil, on the top of mount Morro de Villa Rica, at the ele- 

 vation of 4000 feet. Corolla 8 lines long, pale rose-coloured, 

 marked with obscure lines. 



Schlechtendahl's Worm-grass. PI. 1 to 2 feet ? 



7 S. HUMBOLDTIA'NA (Schlecht. in Linnaea, 1. p. 200. Mart, 

 nov. gen. br. 2. p. 129.) herbaceous, smoothish ; stem and 

 branches tetragonal ; leaves petiolate, oblong-lanceolate, or 

 ovate, acute at the base ; upper ones 4 in a whorl ; spikes soli- 

 tary ; corolla funnel-shaped ; stamens inclosed ; coccae smooth. 

 1 . S. Native of Brazil, in the provinces of Rio Janeiro, St. 

 Paul, and Cisplatine ; and of Mexico, in woods, at Papantla. 

 Flowers white. Very like the following. 



Humboldt's Worm-grass. PI. 1 foot. 



8 S. SCA'BRA (Schlecht. 1. c. p. 202. Mart. 1. c.) herbaceous ; 

 stem and branches tetragonal ; leaves petiolate, ovate, attenuated 

 at the base, scabrous beneath, especially on the nerves and veins; 

 floral leaves 4 in a whorl ; spikes solitary ; corolla funnel-shaped ; 

 stamens inclosed ; coccae roughish. 1 . S. Native of Brazil, 

 in the province of Cisplatine. 



Scabrous Worm-glass. PI. 1 to 2 feet. 



9 S. BEYRICHIA'NA (Schlecht. 1. c. p. 203.) herbaceous, 

 smoothish ; stem and branches tetragonal ; leaves petiolate, 

 ovate, acute at both ends : floral ones 4 in a whorl ; spikes soli- 

 tary ; corollas funnel-shaped ; stamens inclosed ; coccae smooth. 

 1^. S. Native of Brazil, in the province of Rio Janeiro. Very 

 nearly allied to Sp. glabrata ; but differs, in the leaves being 

 shorter, ovate, less hard, and smooth. 



Beyrich's Worm-grass. PI. 



10 S. HAMELLIOI'DES (H. B. et Kunth, nov. gen. amer. 3. p. 

 185.) herbaceous, smoothish ; stems simple, glabrous; leaves 

 ovate-oblong, acuminated, glabrous above, but furnished with 

 small, scattered, adpressed hairs beneath ; upper ones 3-4 in a 



