A SYNOPSIS OF THE PLANT SYSTEM 



19 



the wanner parts of the earth, except Europe. Tin; 

 family is most closely related to the Liliaceje, from which 

 it differs in the irregular flowers, in the sympodial 

 method of growth, in anatomical characters, and 

 principally in the abundant mealy endosperm. 



A ( lecoction of the root of Monochoria wgittftlis of the 

 Far East is used for liver and stomach complaints; the 

 root is chewed for toothache; pulverized and mixed 

 with sugar it is used for asthma; the leaves bruised 

 and mixed with milk are used for cholera; and the 

 siioots are edible. Eichhornia crassipes is a floating 

 fleshy plant with beautiful flowers. It has become so 

 abundant in Florida as to interfere seriously with steam- 

 boat navigation in the rivers. The large violet flowers 

 of both Eichhornia and Pontederia are valued in 

 cultivation for water-gardens. 



Two genera are frequent in cultivation: Eichhornia 

 (Water Hyacinth), from South America; and Ponte- 

 deria (Pickerel-weed), native. 



Order 19. LILIFLOR/E 



36. Juncacese (from the genus Juncus, classical name, 

 derived Irom jungrre, to join). RUSH FAMILY. Fig. 11. 

 Rush-like or mas-like herbs or shrubs: flowers numer- 

 ous, very small, bisexual, regular, hypogynous; perianth 

 of 6 similar, separate parts, greenish or brownish, 

 chaffy; stamens 3 or 6 in 2 whorls; carpels 3; ovary 1- 



11. PONTEDERIACE.E: 1. Pontederia, floral diagram. JCNCA- 

 CE.B: 2. Luzula, flower. 3. Juncus, a, flower; 6, floral diagram. 

 LIUACE.E: 4. Dracaena, flower. 5. Fritillaria, floral diagram. 

 AMARYI.IJDACE.E: 6. Leucoium; a, flower; fr, floral diagram. 7. 

 Narcissus, flower. 



or 3-celled; ovules 3 to many; stigmas 3: fruit a cap- 

 sule; seeds mostly very small, albuminous, anatropous. 



Juncacese has 7 genera and about 175 species, of 

 which 160 belong to the genus Juncus, widely distrib- 

 uted in temperate and cold regions, both north and 

 south, but rare in the tropics. The family is closely 

 related to the Liliaceos, from which it differs only in 

 the rush- or grass-like habit and scarious perianth. 

 Fossil species are known. The leaves are sheathing 

 and the blades arc either flat, or tubular and nodulose. 

 Distichia of the Andes is densely heath-like or moss- 

 like. 



The stems and leaves of many species are used for 

 binding, or for weaving into mats. Light hats are 

 made from the pith of certain species in India and 

 China. The pith is also used for candlewicks. 



In cultivation in America are 2 genera for water- 

 gardens: Juncus; Prionium, woody. Xanthorrhcea is 

 transferred to the Liliacea;. 



37. Liliaceae (from the genus Lilium, classical Latin 



name). LILY FAMILY. Fig. 11. Herbs, shrubs, or trees, 

 usually with rootstocks or bulbs, sometimes climbing: 

 leaves alternate, rarely with petiole and blade: flowers 

 bisexual, rarely unisexual, regular, hypogynous, rarely 

 epigynpus, not subtended by spathes; perianth petaloid, 

 of 6 similar parts, in 2 series, the parts separate or 

 connate, rarely differentiated into a green calyx and 

 colored corolla; stamens 6, rarely fewer, hypogynous, or 

 borne upon the perianth; carpels 3, rarely more or fewer, 

 united, rarely free; ovary usually 3-celled; ovules 

 1 to many in each cell; styles and stigmas 1-3: fruit a 

 capsule or berry. 



There are about 200 genera and 2,000 species, distrib- 

 uted in all parts of the world. The large genera are 

 Smilax with 200 species, Allium with 250 species, 

 Asparagus with 100 species. Aloe with 85 species and 

 Seilla with 80 species. The Liliaceae, taken in the 

 broader sense, as is done by Bentham & Hooker, and 

 by Engler, is an easily recognized group except in unu- 

 sual cases. The regular, 6-parted perianth, 6 stamens, 

 and 3-celled superior ovary are distinctive. The family 

 has been divided by Engler into 1 1 tribes. The Liliacca> 

 furnishes a host of cultivated plants. 



The following plants, among others, have been or are 

 used in medicine: Amianthium muscxloxicum of North 

 America as a narcotic and a fly poison; various species 

 of Uvularia of North America as a gargle and for rattle- 

 snake bites; the root of Polygonatum sp. in Europe as 

 a vulnery, and the berries as an emetic and purgative; 

 the berries of Smilacina racemosa of North America as 

 a tonic; the root of Convallaria majalis of Europe as a 

 purgative; the leaves of Streptopus amplexicaulis of 

 North America as a gargle; the roots of Ruscus of 

 Europe as a diuretic and emmenagogue; the roots of 

 Smilax sp. of the tropics (the sarsaparillas of commerce) 

 as a tonic and diuretic; the roots of Asparagus officinalis 

 in Europe as an aperient, the berries as a diuretic and 

 aphrodisiac, and the shoots as a sedative and cardiac; 

 the roots of Cordyline of the southern tropics for 

 dysentery; the flowers of C. deflexa as an emmenagogue; 

 the resin from Xanthorhcea hastilis (Botany Bay gum, 

 with a fragrance like benzoin) in Australia for throat 

 troubles; the resin of X. australis (grass tree gum, 

 earth shellac, or nut pitch) for various purposes; the 

 tubers of Ophiopogon japonicus (serpent's beard) in 

 China and Japan for abdominal troubles; the bulbs of 

 Gagea of Europe as an emetic; the flowers of Hemero- 

 callis of Europe as a cordial; the leaves of species of 

 Aloes of the Old World as a tonic, purgative, and em- 

 menagogue (A. Perryi is Socotrine aloes, A. vera is 

 Barbadoes aloes, and A. spicata is Cape aloes); the 

 bulb of Urginea marilima (squills) of the Mediterra- 

 nean as a diuretic, expectorant, and emetic; Allium sp. 

 as a vermifuge and carminative; the bulbs of Hya- 

 cinthus, Muscari, and Ornithogalum of Europe as 

 purgatives and diuretics; Ornithogalum altissimum of 

 the Cape as a remedy for asthma and catarrh; Antheri- 

 cum and Asphodelus as diuretics and emmenagogues ; 

 Tulbaghia of the Cape as a vermifuge and for phthisis; 

 the poisonous root of Veratrum album (white helle- 

 bore) of Europe as a violent purge and emetic, and to 

 exterminate vermin; V. nigrum (black h.) of Europe, 

 and V. viride (green h.) of the United States, occasion- 

 ally, for the same purpose; Schcenocaulon officinalis 

 (cavadilla or sabadilla) of Mexico for vermin and as a 

 vermifuge; the narcotic, poisonous root and seeds of 

 Colchicum officinale of Europe as a cathartic, emetic, 

 and sedative; and Helonias bulltila of North America 

 as a vermifuge. The roots of Gloriosa, also, are poison- 

 ous. Driica-tm Draco, the dragon tree of the Canaries 

 and Teneriffe, famous for the extreme age and size of 

 the trees, was superstitiously revered by the ancients. 

 The red resinous astringent exudation of these plants 

 was called dragon's blood. 



The following have been used for food: Bulbs of 

 Camassia esculenta, western United States; bulbs and 



