SPIGELIACE/E. III. MITRASACME. GENTIANRE. 



173 



bifid. Stamens inclosed, inserted iu the middle of the tube of 

 the corolla. Style bifid at the base, at the time the flowers are 

 expanded. Stigma 2-lobed. 



17 M. PARADOXA (R. Br. 1. c.) umbels terminal : leaves linear- 

 lanceolate ; stem erect ; capsule inclosed. 0- G. Native of 

 New Holland, on the south coast. 



Paradoxical Mitrasacme. PI. 



SECT. III. HOLOGYXE (from oXoc, holes, entire, and 

 gyne, a female ; in reference to the undivided style and stigma). 

 Style undivided at the base at the time the flowers are open. 

 Stigma entire. Calyx 4-cleft. Stamens inclosed, inserted in 

 the middle of the tube of the corolla. 



18 M. COXXA'TA (R. Br. 1. c.) scape terminal, glabrous, longer 

 than the stem, which is pilose ; umbels simple ; limb of corolla 

 about equal to the tube in length : with the segments linear- 

 lanceolate ; segments of calyx one half shorter than the tube ; 

 leaves 3-nerved ; upper ones approximating in a stellate manner. 

 Q. S. Native of New Holland, within the tropic. 



Connate-leaved Mitrasacme. PL 



19 M. CAPILLA'RIS (Wall, in Roxb. fl. ind. 1. 420. D. Don, 

 prod, fl nep. 129.) umbels nearly simple, on elongated pedun- 

 cles : pedicels and calyxes glandular ; segments of corolla 

 roundish, obtuse ; leaves elliptic, mucronulate, pilose as well 

 as the stem, which is short. 0. G. Native of Nipaul, in the 

 Great Valley. Leaves decussate, obsoletely 3-nerved, connate 

 at the base from the membranous sheathing stipulas. Pedicels 

 very long. Flowers small, white. Segments of calyx with 

 membranous ciliated margins. Style subulate, dilated at the 

 base, bipartite when the capsule becomes mature. Stigma ca- 

 pitate, pruinose, slightly 2-lobed. Capsule 2-celled, empty at top. 



Capillary Mitrasacme. PL -| foot. 



20 M. SUDICAU'LIS (Reinwdt. herb, ex Blum, bijdr. p. 849.) 

 scape radical, elongated, trifid ; leaves opposite, remote, stipula- 

 ibrmed : umbels usually 3-flowered ; corolla salver-shaped ; 

 having the tube thrice as long as the calyx ; radical leaves stel- 

 late, oval-oblong, obtuse. TJ. . S. Native of the island of Salor. 



\aked-stemmed Mitrasacme. Fl. Aug. Sept. PL 



SECT. IV. PLECOCA'LYX (from r\tKtt, pleco, to plait, and 

 aaXvl, calyx ; in reference to the plicate calyx). Calyx plicate, 

 4-cleft ; lobes concave. Stamens exserted, inserted in the 

 throat of the corolla. Capsule at length semi-bivalved. 



21 M. AMBIGUA (R. Br. 1. c.) scapes radical, capillary, naked; 

 umbels rather compound; leaves oblong-lanceolate. . G. 

 Native of New Holland, within the tropic. 



Ambiguous Mitrasacme. PL 



Cult. The species of Mitrasacme being for the most part 

 annual, the seeds of those which can be procured should 

 be sown in pots, filled with an equal mixture of sand, loam, 

 and peat, and reared in a hot-bed in spring ; and when they 

 have grown to a sufficient size, they should be thinned, if too 

 thick, and afterwards placed in the greenhouse, or in a frame. 



ORDER CLVII. GENTLVNE^i. (This order contains plants 

 agreeing with the genus Gentiana in particular characters.) Juss. 

 gen. p. 141. ed. Usteri, p. 157. R. Br. 149. H. B. et Kunth. 

 nov. gen. amer. 3 p. 167. Mart. nov. gen. bras, 2. p. 132. 



Calyx 4-5 cleft, permanent. Corolla monopelalous, hypogynous, 

 regular, marcescent or deciduous; with an equally parted limb ; 

 lobes equal in number to the calycine segments, but usually 5, some- 

 times from 4-8, imbricate in aestivation. Stamens epipetalous, 

 equal in number to the segments of the corolla, and alternating 

 with them, but some of them are abortive. Ovarium solitary, 

 1 -2-celled, many-seeded. Styles 1 or 2, when 2 they are partly 

 combined or altogether so; stigmas 1-2. Capsule (sometimes 



a berry) many-seeded, 1 -2-celled, usually 2-valved ; having the 

 margins of the valves bent in and bearing the seeds in those 

 in which the capsule is 1 -celled ; but the seeds are inserted in 

 central placentas in those with 2-celled capsules. Seeds small. 

 Embryo straight, inclosed in the axis of soft fleshy albumen. 

 Radicle tending towards the umbilicus. Herbs, rarely shrubs, 

 usually glabrous. Leaves opposite, entire, exstipulate. Flowers 

 terminal or axillary. 



This order is more readily distinguished by habit alone, than 

 by character. It is nearly allied to Polemoniaceae, Scrophu- 

 lariiue, and SpigeUaceee ; from the first it is distinguished by 

 the dehiscence of the capsule and placentation of the seeds ; 

 from the second in the flowers being regular, and in the stamens 

 being equal in length ; and from the latter in the style not being 

 kneed, in the capsule being 1 -celled, and in the seeds being 

 fixed to the edges of the valves. It also comes near to Apocynete, 

 but is readily distinguished from that order in the aestivation of 

 the corolla. In Smerlia perennis the embryo is in the umbilical 

 region of the seed, contrary to the assertion of Dr. Gaertner. 



The species are chiefly natives of cool and mountainous re- 

 gions of Europe, Asia, and America. They are mostly dwarf, 

 herbaceous plants, with deep blue, yellow, or white flowers, the 

 former colour prevailing. They are all pretty, and most of 

 them beautiful in the highest degree, but, with few exceptions, 

 they are impatient of cultivation. The medicinal properties of 

 the root of Asterias lutea, Coilantha rubra, and C. purpiirea, 

 the stems and leaves of Agathbtes alata, Erythrce^a Centaiirium, 

 and E. Chilensis, Frasera Walteri, &c., are eminently tonic, sto- 

 machic, and febrifugal ; their bitterness is second only to quassia 

 and Peruvian bark. Similar, but more feeble virtues are found 

 in most of this order. A kind of spirit is distilled in Switzerland 

 from the roots of Gentiana macerated in water. 



Synopsis of the genera. 

 TRIBE I. 



GENTIANIE\E. Capsule 1 -2-celled; margins of valves pla- 

 centiferous. Seeds usually disposed in a double row. 



SUB-TRIBE I. GENTiA'NE-E-VE'Ri. Capsule l-celled, 2,-talted ; 

 margins of calces bearing the seeds. Anthers remaining un- 

 changed. 



1 SWE'RTIA. Corolla rotate, 4-5-parted: having 2 necta- 

 riferous pores at the base of each segment, which are ciliated 

 with hairs. Seeds compressed, marginate. 



2 HALE'NIA. Corolla rotate, 4-5-parted : each segment fur- 

 nished with a spur, horn or tubercle at the base. Seeds 

 roundish, small, smooth. 



3 AOATHOTES. Corolla rotate, 4-parted : having 2 parallel, 

 oblong, fringed pores at the base of each segment. Seeds 

 minute, globose, smooth. 



4 OPHE'LIA. Corolla rotate, 4-5-parted; each segment 

 furnished with 2 distinct or combined nectariferous, naked pores 

 or glands at the base. Seeds angular, scrobiculate, scabrous. 



5 GENTIANE'LLA. Corolla 4-cleft, salver-shaped, furnished 

 with 4 nectariferous pores at the bottom ; segments fringed. 

 Seeds small, scobiform. 



