294 SYSTEMATIC BOTANY. 



mostly species of GnapJialium, together with Helichrysum, Aphelexis, &c. 

 Our native Thistles are species of Carduus, Onopordum, &c. 



LOBELIACE^E are herbs or shrubs with a milky juice, alternate 

 leaves, and scattered flowers ; corolla irregular, epigynous, sympetalous', 

 split down to the base on one side ; the 5 stamens free from the corolla 

 and united into a tube, often by their filaments, and always by their 

 anthers; ovary inferior, 1-3-celle'd; style 1 ; stigma 2-lipped, surrounded 

 by a fringe of hairs ; seeds numerous, perispermic. Illustrative Genera : 

 Lobelia, L. ; Siphocampylus, Pohl. 



Affinities, &c. The relations of this Order to Composite are close, as is 

 seen when we compare the flowers with ligulate florets of the Cichoracea : 

 the structure of the ovary, however, as well as of the inflorescence, divides 

 them. With Cainpanulaceae, under which order they are included as a 

 tribe by Bentham and Hooker, they are connected through the tubular 

 florets of Compositae, which resemble the flowers of Campanulaceae, except 

 in the structure of the ovary, which brings the Campanulacese still nearer 

 to Lobeliaceae. The fringe round the stigma is analogous to the hairs of 

 the style of Campanulaceae, and perhaps also to the indusium of Goode- 

 niacese. Some Lobeliaceae have their petals distinct, and Monopsis has 

 the flower nearly regular. 



Distribution. A rather large Order, the members of which are chiefly 

 distributed throughout tropical and subtropical regions. 



Qualities and Uses. The milky juice is aero-narcotic; the species of 

 Lobelia are more or less poisonous, producing effects analogous to those of 

 Tobacco. Lobelia inflata is used in small doses for spasmodic asthma ; it 

 acts sometimes as an emetic, but produces great depression of the pulse, 

 perspiration, and, in large doses, death. Most of the species are acrid when 

 fresh ; Z. urens produces vesication of the skin. Tupa Feuillei (Chili) 

 yields a violent poison. Isotoma lonyiflora is vesicatory, and, taken in- 

 ternally. produces death from violent and uncontrollable purging. The 

 milky juices contain Caoutchouc. Many species of Lobelia and Siphocam- 

 pylus are cultivated for their showy flowers. 



GOODENIACE^E consitute an Order of plants allied to the Lobeliaceae, 

 the Stylidiaceae, and the Campanulaceae ; but especially distinguished by 

 the remarkable structure of the upper part of the style, which is expanded 

 into a kind of cup or purse, concealing within it the stigmatic surface, and 

 closing over the pollen after fertilization. Most of the Goodeniaceae are 

 Australian and Polynesian ; a Sccevola occurs in North-western India and 

 in Africa ; another genus, Selliera, is South-American. Their properties 

 are unimportant. Leschenaultia formosa, C(8t*ulea, and other species are 

 cultivated on account of the beauty of their flowers. 



BRUNONIACE^, consisting of two species ofBnmonia, Australian plants, 

 agree with Goodeniaceae in the structure of the style, but are sometimes 

 separated from them on account of the superior position of the ovary. 

 Their capitulous inflorescence approaches that of Conipositae. They have 

 no known properties. 



constitute a small Order of plants related to the Goode- 

 niaceae and the Campanulaceae, but are distinguished by and remarkable 



