THALAMIFLOEJE. 203 



compound, sometimes reduced to the condition of spines. The ripe anthers 

 possess a peculiar irritability, which causes their valves to turn back and 

 burst when touched, so as to allow of the emission of the pollen. 



Distribution. A small Order of about 12 genera and under a hundred 

 species, which are natives of temperate climates in America, Europe, and 

 the northern part of India. 



Qualities and Uses. The bark of the root of some of the Indian 

 species contains a bitter principle, on which account it is used as a tonic 

 in fevers in lieu of quinine. The " Lycium " of the ancients was identical 

 with the extract prepared in India from the wood or root of several species 

 of Jjerberis. The Berberry (the fruit of JBerberis vulyaris) and the fruits 

 of other species are acid and astringent, and are eaten preserved. The 

 stem and bark are used by dyers, both on account of their astringent pro- 

 perties and as ingredients in a yellow dye. The rhizome of Podophyllum 

 yeltatum furnishes a resin which has purgative properties, and is much 

 used as a substitute for mercury. The leaves of this plant are narcotic ; 

 but the berries are edible, tiaberis vulgaris is a British plant, often cul- 

 tivated on account of its beautiful scarlet berries; the evergreen Berberaceae, 

 13. Aquifuliitin, &c. (JUahonia, Isutt.), are also extensively planted on 

 account of their shining pinnate leaves and the grey bloom on their black 

 berries. Hpi'medium aijAnuni is a rare British plant, found in the northern 

 counties. 



NYMPELEACELE. WATEE-LILIES. * 

 Coh. llanales, Benth. et Hook. 



Diagnosis. Aquatic herbs with cordate or peltate floating leaves, and 

 solitary showy flowers, proceeding from a rhizome growing at the bottom 

 of the water ; the partially petaloid sepals and the numerous petals and 

 stamens imbricated in several rows partially or wholly emerge from a 

 large fleshy disk ; the numerous carpels combined into a many-celled 

 compound ovary, with radiating stigmas on the top ; ovules all over the 

 spongy dissepiments ; embryo minute, enclosed in a separate sac at the 

 end of the copious perisperm. Illustrative Genus : Nymphcea. 



Affinities, &c. The relations of this striking Order are varied, and some 

 difference of opinion exists among botanists even as to their position in 

 the two great classes of Angiosperinous Flowering plants. The embryo 

 appears to be truly Dicotyledonous ; and they naturally approach the Papa- 

 veraceae in the character of the ovary, and the Pseony tribe among the 

 Kanuculaceae, especially the kinds with a highly developed disk. The 

 character of the floral envelopes and stamens allies them to Magnoliacese. 

 The Nelurnbiacese and Cabombacese are immediately connected with 

 them. From a mistaken view of the structure of the seed, regarding the 

 viteilus or amniotic inner endosperm as a cotyledon, Richard assumed 

 that this Order was Monocotyledonous ; and although it has proved that 

 this account of the structure of the embryo was incorrect, the plants are 

 so anomalous in many respects, that it is difficult to decide as to their 

 closest relationships. The structure of the rhizomes is quite that of 



