THE POLYPETALOUS ORDERS. 



421 



centrated, as in the Bottle Gourd, Bryony, &c., they are danger- 

 ous or actively poisonous. The officinal Colocynth, a resinoid, bit- 

 ter extract from the pulp of Cucumis Colocynthis (of the Levant, 

 India, &c.), is very acrid and poisonous; and Elaterium, obtained 

 from the juice of the Squirting Cucumber (Momordica Elaterium 

 of the South of Europe), is still more violent in its effects. Mo- 

 mordica Balsamina (the cultivated Balsam-Apple) contains the 

 same principle in smaller quantity. The seeds of all are harmless. 



794. Ord, Crassulacese (the Orpine Family). Herbs, or slightly 

 shrubby plants, mostly fleshy or succulent ; with scattered leaves, 

 and flowers usually in cymes or racemes. Calyx of three to 

 twenty sepals, more or less united at the base, free from the ova- 

 ries, persistent. Petals as many as the sepals, rarely combined 

 into a monopetalous corolla. Stamens as many or twice as many 

 as the sepals, inserted with the petals on the base of the calyx. 

 Pistils always as many as the sepals, distinct, or rarely (in Pentho- 

 rum and Diamorpha) partly united : ovaries becoming follicles in 

 fruit, several-seeded. Embryp straight, in thin albumen. Ex. 

 Sedum (Stone-crop, Orpine, Live-for-ever), Crassula, Sempervi- 

 vum, or Houseleek, &c. Distinguished by their completely sym- 

 metrical flowers, on which account they have already been illus- 

 trated (449, 450). They mostly grow in arid places : of no eco- 

 nomical importance. 



FIG. 715. Staminate flower of the Gourd ; the calyx and corolla cut away. 716. Cross-sec- 

 tion of the united anthers. 718. Separate stamen of the Melon. 719. Section of the ovary of 

 the Gourd. 720. Plan of one of the three constituent carpels. 



36 



