Statistics : 211 



Statistics of the Vegetable Kingdom, continued. 



About one-ninth of all the flowering plants are comprised in 

 the Compositae or Sunflower family. It is by far the largest 

 order, containing nearly 800 genera and about 10,000 species. 

 Very few of the species furnish esculent parts ; the leading 

 ones are lettuce, endive, chicory, artichoke, cardoon and sal- 

 sify. But the family comprises great numbers of ornamental 

 plants, of which the leading one at the present time is the 

 chrysanthemum. A very few of the species become small shrubs. 



The Heach family, Ericaceae, includes the heaths, heather of 

 Europe, wintergreen, whortleberries or huckleberries, cran- 

 berries, azaleas, rhododendrons and laurels. Certain white 

 and flesh-colored parasitic plants also belong to it, as the Indian 

 pipe and the snow plant of the Rocky Mountains. About 80 

 genera and over 1,300 species are known. 



The Primulas belong to the Primulaceae or Primrose family, 

 and they number some 80 or more species, many of which are 

 cultivated. The genus primula is commonly divided by flor- 

 ists into auriculas, polyanthuses and primroses. One of the 

 primulas is the true cowslip. Primulaceae has about 20 genera 

 and 250 species. 



Oleaceae, a family of 18 genera and nearly 300 species, in- 

 cludes the jasmine, forsythias, lilacs, ashes, privet and olive. 

 10 species of Fraxinus or ash, are native to North America. 

 There are about 120 species of jasminum or jasmine, 2 of 

 forsythia. 6 of syringa or lilac, over 30 of fraxinus, about 25 

 of ligustrum or privet, and 35 of olea, or olive. 



The Convolvulus or Morning-glory family, Convolvulaceae, 

 has some 800 species, some oi which are trees, and 32 genera. 

 The dodders, peculiar parasitic plants, of which several are 

 natives of the. United States, belong here, as does also the sweet 

 potato. 



There are about 30 species of Phlox described, nearly all 

 natives of North America. The common Phlox Drummondii 

 is native of Texas. 



Solanaceae is a large and important order, containing many 



