COBOLLIFLOB^E. 299 



PLUMB A GIN AC EJE (THE THRIFT OBDEB) consists of maritime or 

 mountain herbs or under-shrubs, often with undeveloped stems and 

 clustered leaves j flowers regular, 5-merous, with a plaited calyx j the 

 5 stamens superposed to the separate petals or the lobes of the sym- 

 petalous corolla ; the free ovary 1-celled, with a solitary ovule hanging 

 trom a long funiculus which arises from the base of the cell ; styles 5, 

 rarely 3 or 4 ; fruit either utricular or dehiscent by valves above ; seed 

 with a simple testa and little pensperm. Illustrative Genera : Statice, 

 L. ; Plumbago, Tournef. 



Affinities, &c. This Order is strongly characterized by the peculiar at- 

 tachment of its ovule : this, with the numerous styles, separates it from the 

 Priinulocese, which it approaches in the position of the stamens and some 

 other points ; the same characters, with the position of the stamens, distin- 

 guish it from Plantaginacese ; and these marks, with the plaited calyx, 

 isolate it from all the other Corollitioral Orders, among which it claims 

 a place in spite of the occasionally dialypetalous or even apetalous con- 

 dition. 



Distribution. A rather large group ; some kinds are found all over the 

 world on the sea-shore ; others are more local in similar habitats, in 

 salt-marshes and in saline steppes, while others, again, belong to alpine 

 regions. 



Qualities and Uses. The properties are either bitter and astringent, or 

 acrid and caustic. The roots of Statice caruliniana are powerfully astrin- 

 gent ; those of Plumbago europcea, zeylanica, scandens, and others are very 

 active blistering-agents when fresh ; that of P. europcea is used dried as 

 a remedy for toothache. P. toxicaria is said to furnish a poison in 

 Mozambique. The Garden Thrift (Armeria vulgaris), commonly used for 

 edging, like Box, is said to be an active diuretic : the dried flowers are 

 used for this purpose. Small doses of the root of Plumbago europcea are 

 said to act as an emetic. The flowers of many of the Plumbaginaceae, 

 especially species of Statice, are very handsome, and many are cultivated 

 on this account. 



PEIMULACE^. THE PEIMEOSE OEDEE. 

 Coh. Priinulales, Benth. et Hook. 



Diagnosis. Herbs with opposite or alternate simple leaves and 

 regular, perfect flowers ; the stamens as many as the lobes of the 

 sympetalous (rarely dialypetalous) hypogynous corolla, and super- 

 posed to them in the tube ; ovary 1-celled, with a free central 

 placenta bearing numerous perispermic seeds, a simple style, and a 

 capitate stigma. 



Character. 



Thalamus flat or slightly convex. Calyx 5- or rarely 4-cleft, free 

 or half-adherent, regular, persistent. Corolla hypogynous, sym- 

 petalous, and the limb regularly 5-, or rarely 4-clei't ; or more 



