120 



ORDER LXXXn. HYDROPHYLLACE.E. ORDER LXXXVII. GENTIANACE^E. 



lar, rarely irregular, the limb 5-toothed, often with a row of 

 scales in the throat. Stamens 5, inserted on the corolla alter- 

 nately with its lobes. Ovary deeply 4-lobed, or at least separat- 

 ing into 4 portions, when mature. Style 1, usually central, 

 proceeding from base of the ovary, sometimes terminal. Fruit 

 consisting of 4 achenia. 



A rather large order of mucilaginous, emollient, never poisonous plan-*. 

 Borago (Borage), fig. 27, Sympbytum (JJomfrey), and Heliotropiuin (Helio- 

 trope), are examples. 



Fig. 27. 



GROUP VII. 

 ORDER LXXXII. Hydrophyllacese. 



Herbs. Leaves alternate, or the lower ones opposite, usually 

 lobed, or pinnatifid. Flowers usually in circinate racemes, or 

 unilateral spikes. Calyx 5-cleft, usually appendaged at the 

 sinuses, persistent Corolla 5-lobed, regular, with melliferous 

 scales or grooves near the base. Stamens 5, inserted on the base 

 of the corolla, alternate with its lobes. Anthers 2-celled. Ovary 

 free, 1-celled. Style 1, bifid. Stigmas 2. Capsule invested with 

 the permanent calyx Seeds few, crustaceous. 



A small order of unimportant, chiefly N. American plants, represented by 

 Hydrophyllum ( Water-Leaf, urr-f lower). 



ORDER LXXXIII. Polemoniacese. 



Herbs. Leaves opposite, rarely alternate, simple or com- 

 pound. Calyx free from the ovary, 5-cleft, persistent. Corolla 

 regular, with a 5-lobed limb, convolute in prefloration. Stamens 

 6, inserted on the corolla, alternately with its lobes, often un- 

 equal in length. Ovary 3-celled. Style 1. Stigma trifid. Cap- 

 sule 3-celled, 3-valved, loculicidal, the valves separating from the 

 8-angled axis, which bears the few, or many seeds. 



A small order consisting chiefly of N. American plants. Phlox and Pole- 

 monium (Greek Valerian), are examples. 



ORDER LXXXIV. Diapensiaceae. 



Low, prostrate, evergreen under-shrubs. Leaves crowded, 

 heath-like. Flowers terminal and solitary. Sepals 5, distinct, 

 with 3 bracts at base. Corolla regular, deeply 5-lobed, with the 

 lobes imbricated in prefloration. Stamens 5, inserted by their 

 petaloid filaments on the corolla-tube. Anthers 2-celled, with 

 transverse valves. Ovary 3-celled, free. Style 1. Stigma 3- 

 lobed. Capsule 3-valved. Seeds small, many. 



An order consisting of only two plants, Diapensia Lapponica, native of the 

 White Mountains, and Pyxidanthera, found in the Pine barrens of N. Jersey. 



ORDER LXXXV. Convolvulaceae. 



Herbs, or shrubs ; often with a milky juice. Stems trailing 

 or climbing, rarely erect. Leaves alternate, sometimes none. 

 Stipules none. Flowers often showy. Sepals 5, usually more or 

 less united at base, persistent. Corolla regular, limb 5-cleft or 

 entire, twisted and plaited in prefloration. Stamens 5, inserted 

 at the base of the corolla, alternate with its segments, when 

 lobed. Ovary 2 4, rarely 1-celled, free from the calyx. Style 

 1, rarely more. Fruit a capsule, 2 4-celled, opening by septi- 

 fragal dehiscence. Seeds few, large. 



A numerous order of plants, very abundant in the tropics, and often distin- 

 guished by the beauty of their large flowers. Their juices contain a resinous 

 purgative principle, especially developed in the roots of Convolvulus Jalapa of 

 Mexico, and C. Scammonia (Soammony), of the Levant. Sometimes this prin- 

 ciple is present in so small quantities, that the large farinaceous roots become 

 valuable as articles of food, as in the 0. Batatas, or Sweet Potato. 



The suborder, Cuscutinese, is distinguished by its leafless colored stems and 

 filiform, spirally coiled embryo, destitute of cotyledons, and is represented by 

 the Cuscuta (Dodder), fig. 8, Plate V. 



ORDER LXXXVI. Solanaceae. 



Herbs, or shrubby plants with a colorless juice. Leaves 

 alternate. Calyx free from the ovary, consisting of 4 5 persist- 

 ent sepals, more or less united at base. Corolla regular, rarely 

 slightly irregular, limb 4* 5-cleft, plaited in prefloration. Sta- 

 mens as many as the corolla lobes, alternate with its segments. 

 Ovary 2, and rarely 4 or 6-celled, with a central placenta. Fruit 

 a many-seeded capsule or berry. 



A large order distinguished usually by the dull lurid color of their flowers. 

 The herbage and fruit are usually pervaded by a powerful narcotic principle, 

 which renders them often violently poisonous and always injurious Their 

 active properties give to many of them importance in a medicinal point, of 

 view. Such are the Henbane (Ifyosoyamus niger), the Belladonna (Atropa 



Fig. 28. 



SaUadonna), and the Bittersweet (Solan-urn Dulcamara), flg. 23. The dele- 

 terious Tobacco, also, belongs here. Tho tuber is sometimes edible, as in the 

 Potato (Solarium tuberosum) ; and sometimes, also, the fruit is wholesome, as 

 in the Tomato (Lycopersicum), and the Egg-plant (Solanum Molongena). 



ORDER LXXXVII. Gentianacese. 



Herbs, usually smooth, with a watery juice. Leaves usually 

 opposite, rarely alternate, radical or single. Flowers regular, 

 usually terminal or axillary, often showy. Calyx of 4^-12 sepals, 



