184 



GENTIANE^E. VIII. CENTAURELLA. IX. ASTERIAS. X. COILANTHA. 



97. 1. 12. Pursh, fl. amer. sept. 1. p. 94. Nutt. gen. amer. 1. 

 p. 172. Andrewsia, Spreng. gen. 1. p. 85. Bartonia species, 

 Muhl. 



LIN. SYST. Pentdndria, Digynia. Calyx 4-parted, adpressed. 

 Corolla urceolately campanulate, 4 -cleft ; segments ovate 

 or oblong, erect or spreading. Stamens 4, inclosed ; inserted 

 beneath the recesses of the limb of the corolla. Anthers erect, 

 subcordate, bluntish; filaments, subulate, flattened. Stigma thick, 

 glandular, bluntly bifid. Capsule 1-celled, 2-valved, involu- 

 crated by the permanent calyx and corolla. Seeds minute, glo- 

 bular, attached to the edges of the valves. Annual, glabrous, 

 simple, or branched small plants. Leaves opposite, decussate. 



1 C. VERNA'LIS (Michx. fl. amer. bor. 1. p. 98. t. 12. f. 2.) 

 stem simple ; peduncles scattered, corymbosely elongated ; 

 segments of corolla oblong, acute, twice longer than the calyx ; 

 style longer than the ovarium. 0. H. Native from Virginia 

 to Georgia, in mossy swamps. Andrewsia verna, Spreng. syst. 

 ) . p. 428. Flowers white, larger than the other species. 



Var. ft, uniflora (Pursh, 1. c. p. 100.) small ; stem 1 -flowered. 

 This may prove to be a distinct species. 



Spring Centaurella. Fl. May, July. PI. foot. 



2 C. .ESTIVA'LIS (Pursh, fl. sept. amer. 1. p. 100.) stem 

 simple ; peduncles opposite, simple ; segments of corolla spa- 

 tulate, abruptly acute, 3 times longer than the calyx ; style 

 length of ovarium. 0. H. Native from Carolina to Georgia, 

 in mossy swamps. Flowers smaller than the preceding ; the 

 calyx short. 



Summer Centaurella. Fl. June, Aug. PI. \ to \ foot. 



3 C. AUTUMNA'LIS (Pursh, 1. c.) stem a little branched ; pe- 

 duncles opposite ; lower ones branched ; segments of corolla 

 oval, acute, hardly longer than the calyx ; style very short. 

 . H. Native from New England to Carolina, in mossy 

 swamps, in inundated, grassy places. C. paniculata, Michx. fl. 

 bor. amer. 1. p. 98. t. 12. f. 1. Bartonia tenella, Muhl. in litt. 

 Sagina Virginica, Willd. spec. 1. p. 719. Andrewsia autumna- 

 lis, Spreng. syst. 1. p. 428. Flowers small, greenish white. 



/lulumnal Centaurella. Fl. July, Sept. PI. J to 1 foot. 

 Cult. For culture and propagation see Eurythalia, p. 188. 



IX. ASTE'RIAS(from aarjjp, aster, a star; shape of flowers.) 

 Borkh. in Roem. arch. 1. p. 14. Gentiana lutea, Lin. 



LIN. SYST. Pentdndria, Digynia. Calyx spathaceous, sca- 

 rious, diaphanous, 3-4-cleft ; segments short, lanceolate, un- 

 equal. Corolla with a short tube, and a 5-cleft limb, furnished 

 with a green gland at the base of each segment ; segments oblong, 

 acute, veiny, shorter than the calyx. Stamens 5-6; anthers 

 subulate, combined at first, but at length distinct. Stigmas 

 oblong, flat, revolute. Capsule ovate ; 4 sided, acuminated. 

 Seeds roundish, compressed, with membranous edges, disposed in 

 3 series along the margins of the valves. Showy plants, with 

 the habit of Veratrum. Leaves broad, 5-nerved ; cauline ones 

 sessile : floral ones subcordate, stem-clasping, concave, all pale 

 green, but glaucous beneath. Flowers apparently verticillate, 

 pedicellate, seated on common thick peduncles. Bracteas 2-4, 

 to each whorl of flowers, 3-nerved and equal in length to 

 them. 



I A. LU'TEA (Borkh. in Rcem. arch. 1. p. 25.) corollas ro- 

 tate, 5-6-cleft ; flowers verticillate, subcymose ; leaves broad, 

 ovate; calyx spathaceous. If.. H. Native of the alps of 

 middle Europe, from the Pyrenees to Savoy. Gentiana lutea, 

 Lin. spec. 3<>7. Vill. delph. 2. p. 521. Mill. icon. t. 139. 

 Plenck. off. t. 156. Woodv. med. bot. 3. p. 4-33. t. 156. Church. 

 et Stev. med. bot. vol. 4, with a figure. Swertia lutea, Vest, in 

 Tratt. tab. t. 518. Radical leaves ovate-oblong: cauline ones 

 sessile, ovate, acute. Corolla yellow, veiny, and spotted. The roots 



of Gentian are long, thick, externally of a brown colour, and 

 wrinkled ; internally spongy, and of a yellow colour, with- 

 out any remarkable smell, but surpassing in bitterness all 

 other European vegetables. Alcohol dissolves only the bitter 

 extractive, water both the extractive and mucilage. Its bitter- 

 ness depends upon a new principle discovered by Henri 

 and Caventou, called gentianin, and is easily obtained in a 

 crystalline form by means of ether, in which it is very soluble. 

 It likewise dissolves in alcohol, and more sparingly in water. 

 It appears to be neither alkaline nor acid. Gentian possesses 

 the general virtues of bitters in an eminent degree, and it is 

 totally devoid of astringency. On dead animal matter it acts 

 as an antiseptic. Taken into the stomach it proves a powerful 

 tonic, and in large doses it evacuates the intestines. It is useful 

 in weakness of the stomach, and in general debility. Externally 

 its powder is applied to putrid ulcers. Narcotic effects have 

 sometimes been ascribed to it, but these are owing to the roots 

 of Aconite or Belladonna gathered along with it. 



Var. ft, major; flowers smaller, paler; corolla 5-9-parted 

 almost to the base, spotless. }/ . H . Native of subalpine 

 places. 



Far. y, uniflbra (D. C. fl. fr.no. 2761.) Stem 1 flower. 



Yellow Asterias or Gentian-root. Fl. June, July. Clt. 1596. 

 PI. 4 to 6 feet. 



2 A. HY'BRIDA ; leaves ovate-lanceolate; corollas 5-8-cleft, 

 rotate; whorls of flowers sessile ; calyx membranous, unilateral, 

 unequally 6-cleft. 1i . H. Native of the alps of Vallais. 

 Gentiana hybrida, B.C. syn. fl. gall. p. 244. no. 2762. fl. fr. 2. 

 p. 651. no. 2762. G. Thomasii, Vill. mem. pi. hybr. in Rcem. 

 coll. p. 189. G. campanulata, Reyn. mem. 219. Flowers 

 reddish yellow. Supposed to be a hybrid between A. lutea and 

 Coildntha purpurea. 



Hybrid Asterias. PI. 3 to 4 feet. 



Cult. This genus is composed of robust plants, with the 

 habit of Veratrum, proper for flower borders. A deep light 

 rich soil suits them best, as it allows the roots to ascend. They 

 are increased either by seed, or by dividing the root. 



X. COILA'NTHA (from icoiXoe, Icoilos, concave, and 

 anthos, a flower ; in reference to the shape of corollas.) Renealm. 

 spec. 65. Borkh. in Rcem. arch. 1. p. 24. Gentiana species, 

 Lin. and others. Dasystephana, Borkh. 



LIN. SYST. Pentdndria, Digynia. Calyx spathaceous, truncate, 

 scarious, diaphanous, cleft inside, with 6-7 unequal lobes or teeth 

 at apex. Corolla large, coriaceous, campanulate, 5-7-cleft ; 

 segments broad at the base, obtuse, remote. Stamens 5-7 ; an- 

 thers oblong, combined. Ovarium oblong, pedicellate. Stigma 

 bifid, downy, divaricate. Capsule fusiform, with 5-7 tubercles 

 at the base, 1-celled. Seeds many, orbicular, with winged edges. 

 Showy plants, with obsoletely tetragonal stems ; opposite, 

 ovate, 5-nerved, apiculated leaves, which are sheathing at the base. 

 Flowers large, on short pedicels : terminal ones disposed in a 

 whorl, and the axillary ones solitary. Bracteas opposite, shorter 

 than the flowers. 



1 C. PURPD'REA (Borkh. in Rcem. arch. 1. p. 25.) radical 

 leaves ovate, 5-nerved: cauline ones ovate-lanceolate: upper ones 

 broad-lanceolate, combined and sheathing at the base ; corolla 

 5-6-cleft ; stamens 5-6 ; calyx membranous, spathaceous. I/ . H. 

 Native of the alps of Norway, Switzerland, Savoy, Pyrenees, &c. 

 Gentiana purpurea, Lin. spec. p. 637. Willd. spec. 1331. ex- 

 clusive of the synonyme of Villars. Woodv. med. bot. 4. p. 132. 

 t. 262. Oecl. fl. dan. t. 50. Plenck. off. t. 159. Andr. bot. rep. 

 1. 117. Frcel.gent. p. 18.no. 2. Pneumonanthe purpurea, Schmidt, 

 no. 1. Gentiana punicea, Gesner. Schmidel. op- gesn. 2. p. 52. 

 no. 92. a. t. 28. f. 92. A. a. Root yellow outside and white inside, 

 scaly at top, very bitter. Stem purplish green. Bracteas ovate 



