166 CLASS DIDtNA^IlA. 



stimulating ; when the bitter principle is in excess, as in germander, they act as 

 tonics and strengthen the digestive organs. 



Tlie pericarp of tlie labiate flowers belongs to Mu'bel's class of fruits, called 

 cenohion. 



237. Order Gymnos^crmia. — Plants in this order have lahir 

 ate corollas of the ringent kind ; seeds /biw', lying uncovered in 

 the calyx ; flowers grow in wliorls ; stem four-angled ; leaves 

 opposite. The calyx is either five-parted, or the upper part 

 consists of two lij^-like divisions. 



At Fig. 144 is a flower of the genus Teucrium {germander) ; the corolla is rm- 

 gent, as at a, the upper lip two-cleft, the lower lip three-cleft ; the stamens and 

 pistils are introrse ; the stamens are exscrt through the cleavage on the upper side : 

 b shows the pistil with its four uncovered, or gymnospermous seeds. 



The Ringent flowers generally grow in whorls at the up- 

 per part of an angular stem, the leaves standing opposite. 

 Among them we find many aromatic plants, peppermint, 

 lavender, savory, marjorum, thyme, &c. ; also many medi- 

 cinal herbs, as pennyroyal, catmint, horehound, &c. ; the scull- 

 cap {Scutellaria), which has been said to be a remedy for the 

 hydrophobia ; the modest Isanthus (blue gentian), and a little 

 flower of a beautiful blue color, called blue curls {TrichoS' 

 tema). 



238. Order Angiosjpermia contains plants with many seeds 

 in a capsule ; they appear to have an aflinity with some fami- 

 lies of the class Pentandria. Many of them, in addition to the - 

 four stamens, have a fifth filament, the rudiment of another 

 stamen ; sometimes the irregular corolla varies into a regular 

 form, with^y^? divisions. Among plants which exhibit the im- 

 perfect fifth stamen, are the trumpet-flower and fox-glove. In 

 this order X\\q j^^^'^onate corollas are to be found, or labiate flow- 

 ers with closed lips. Fig. 144, c, represents a flower of this kind ; 

 at d is the pistil showing a capsule, or that the seeds are 

 angiospennoiis. A few flowers may be found here with bell- 

 form, and funnel-form corollas. Plants of this order differ much 

 in their natural characters from those of the order Gyninos- 

 jpermia. None of them are used in preparations for food, as 

 are the thyme and savory of the flrst order, but many of them 

 possess powerful medicinal properties, as the fox-glove,^ and 

 the cancer-root {Ejpijpliegus). They are a beautiful collection of 

 plants ; few flowers are more splendid than the fox-glove and 

 trumpet-flower. The Marty nia is an exotic of easy cultivation, 

 bearing a fine blossom ; its pericarp furnishes an excellent 

 pickle. Plants of this class are numerous in every part of the 



* See Plate vii., Fig. 6, 



Gj'mnospermia — Describe Fig. 144— Ringent flowers. — 238. How is the order Angiospermia distin- 

 guished ? — Personate flowers. 



