CHLID AN THUS-CHL ORION. 



one-celled ; seeds solitary or numerous, fixed to the 

 centre ; albumen fleshy or horny ; embryo green, 

 central ; cotyledons fbliaceous, waved. 



The plants belonging to this order are small trees 

 _or shrubs, with alternate, stipulated, entire leaves, 

 and paniculate or racemose flowers. They are almost 

 all natives of the Island of Madagascar. The genera 

 of the order are Saccolcena, Leptoleena, Schizoltena, 

 and Rhodokena. To these Decandolle has added the 

 East Indian and Mauritian genus Hugonia, which he 

 considers allied to the order Chlenacece, but differing 

 from it in being destitute of an involucrum to the 

 flower. This genus is also allied to Malvacece and 

 Syttneriacece, but is distinguished from them in having 

 an imbricated, not a valvate, calyx. 



Very little is known in regard to the properties of 

 the plants of this order. Lcptoltena mult'iflora, and 

 the species of Schizolcena, are handsome small trees 

 with fine flowers, while Rhodol&na altivola is a 

 climbing shrub, with large purple flowers. The genus 

 Hugonia was named by Linnaeus in honour of Dr. 

 Augustus John Hugo, of Hanover, who was a great 

 friend of Haller. Hugonia mystax, a native of Ceylon 

 and Malabar, is a slender shrub twelve feet high, 

 with numerous short leafy branches, each of which 

 bears about its middle a pair of remarkable revolute 

 spines. The resemblance of these to a pair of 

 moustaches, is said to have given origin to the specific 

 name mystax. The plant bears yellow flowers, and 

 a shining fruit, containing a red tasteless pulp. The 

 wood has a reddish -brown colour, and possesses an 

 aromatic odour. The root has been applied exter- 

 nally to inflammatory swellings, and also to the bites 

 of the hooded snake (coluber nnja]. Internally it has 

 been recommended in worms and the febrile diseases 

 to which children are liable. 



CHLIDANTHUS (Herbers). An ornamental 

 and highly fragrant bulbous plant, introduced from 

 South America in 1820. Linnaean class and order 

 Hexandria Monogynia; natural order Amaryllidece. 

 Mr. Sweet observes of this plant, that it requires no 

 water when not in a growing state ; and if planted in 

 the open borders in spring it will flower in the sum- 

 mer, but must be taken up in autumn, and kept dry 

 through the winter ; or if left in the ground requires 

 covering from frost. 



CHLORA (Linnaeus). A genus of two annual 

 plants, one of which, C. pcrfoliata, is a native of 

 Britain. They belong to the natural order Gentianeee. 



CHLORANTHE^I. A natural order of dicoty- 

 ledonous plants, containing three or four genera, and 

 a few species. It is nearly allied to Piperaccce and 

 LaunnccE, but differs from these orders in the absence 

 of a sac to the embryo, and in having a pendulous 

 ovule, and opposite leaves with intermediate stipules. 



The following are the botanical characters of the 

 order: flowers naked, spiked, perfect or unisexual, 

 subtended by a scale ; stamens lateral, if more than 

 one, connate, definite ; anthers one-celled, bursting 

 longitudinally ; filaments slightly adhering to the one- 

 celled ovary; stigma simple, sessile; ovule pendu- 

 lous ; fruit a drupe, indehiscent ; embryo minute, 

 placed at the apex of a fleshy albumen, with an 

 inferior radicle. 



The plants belonging to this order are herbs or 

 under shrubs, with jointed stems, opposite simple 

 leaves and terminal green flowers. They are incon- 

 spicuous, and are not considered as ornamental in 

 gardens. They are found in tropical regions, and 



inhabit the hot parts of both the East and West 

 Indies, as well as South America. They have ge- 

 nerally an aromatic taste, arid possess stimulant 

 properties. The chief genera of the order are 

 Chloranthus, Hedyosmum, and Ascarina, 



Chloranthus is the genus which gives name to the 

 order. The whole plant of Chloranthus oj/icinalis has 

 a fragrant aromatic odour, which is lost by drying. 

 The roots of the plants however retain, even when 

 dry, a smell like camphor, and have a bitter aromatic 

 flavour. They possess heating and stimulant pro- 

 perties, and may be used in place of snake-root in 

 promoting the action of the skin and kidneys. The 

 root of Chloranthus inconspicuus has the odour of 

 seneka root, and is said to possess similar qualities. 

 The leaves of the plant are used in decoction, for the 

 cure of intermittent fever. 



CHLORANTHUS (Swartz). A genus of three 

 Chinese herbs and under shrubs, bearing green- 

 coloured inconspicuous flowers, but having an agree- 

 able scent, for which they are kept in stoves and 

 propagated by cuttings. 



CHLORION (Latreille). A beautiful genus of 

 hymenopterous insects, belonging to the division Fos- 

 sorcs, and to the family Sphcgidae, or sand-wasps. 

 The body is rather long, highly polished, and me- 

 tallic ; the head broader than the thorax ; the an- 

 tenna? inserted close to the mouth, and the second 

 submarginal cell narrow, especially near its union 

 with the marginal cell ; the tarsal claws have a tooth 

 near the middle. These splendid insects are above 

 the middle size, and owe their generic name to the 

 brilliant metallic green colour with which they are 

 adorned. The habits of one of the species of this 

 genus, Sphcx lobata, Fabricius, were observed by M. 

 Cossigni, who states that it is a rare insect in the" Isle 

 Bourbon, although very common in the Isle of France ; 

 it flies with rapidity, entering the houses, flying about 

 the window-curtains, and creeping into their folds ; 

 when settled it is easily caught : but great caution must 

 be used, as it is provided with a sting even more power- 

 ful than that of the bee, this fly protruding its weapon 

 to a greater distance than the bees ordinarily do. In 

 the Isle of France the domestic bees are not observed, 

 although they abound in the woods of the Isle Bour- 

 bon ; their rarity in the former instance being attri- 

 buted to the presence of the chlorions, which drive 

 them away. M. Cossigni observed an encounter be- 

 tween a cockroach and a chlorion. After regarding 

 each other for a moment, the latter pounced upon the 

 blatta, seizing its head with its jaws, and curving its 

 body so as to sting the belly of the cockroach. When 

 it had effected this, it dismounted, quitted its victim 

 until the poison which it had introduced into the 

 wound should have begun to operate, when it re- 

 turned, seized it by the head, and, dragging it along 

 backwards, deposited it in a hole in the wall. When 

 its prey is too large to enter the aperture, the chlorion 

 deliberately clips off its wings and wing-cases, and 

 even its legs, so as to enable it to force it into the bur- 

 row. The object of this slaughter is the laying up of 

 a sufficient supply of food for the future progeny of 

 the chlorion ; hence, as is generally the case in in- 

 sects, the task devolves upon the females, and, indeed, 

 it is this sex alone which is provided with the powerful 

 sting which is so important an instrument in the ope- 

 ration. We have detailed a somewhat similar course 

 of proceeding in the CEHCJSRIDES. See our article 

 upon this group. 



