308 SYSTEMATIC BOTANY. 



Tribe 4. MENYANTHEJE. Leaves radical or alternate ; corolla-lobes mdu- 

 plicate-valvate ; ovary I- celled. Menyanthes, L. ; Villarsia, Vent. 



Affinities, &c. This Order stands very near Apocynacese, from which it 

 differs in its placentation and completely coherent carpels, habit, want of 

 milky juice, and other points. The parietal placentas distinguish it from 

 the Scrophulariacea? and allied Orders, which sometimes show an approach 

 to the regular structure of Gentianaceaa. Gesneraceae differ in their irregular 

 flowers, axile embryo, and other characters. An affinity exists to Oroban- 

 chacese, especially through Obolaria, a N.-American plant formerly re- 

 ferred to that Order, Voyra, a parasitic leafless genus, and some allied 

 forms lately discovered in South America, while Crawfurdia, a twining 

 genus, seems to connect the Gentianacese with Convolvulacese. 



Distribution. A large Order, generally diffused the large genus Gen- 

 tiana especially inhabiting the mountains of temperate and hot climates, 

 but not in polar regions. 



Qualities and Uses. Bitter, tonic properties are general; a few are 

 emetic or narcotic, especially when fresh. Among the bitter kinds medi- 

 cinally employed are the Gentians, G. lutea (officinal), punctata, jwrpurea, 

 pannonica, all European, G. Catesbcei (U.S), G. Kurroo (Himalaya), -Frascra 

 Watteri (\J.S)^AffatJiotes Chirayita, a native of the Himalayas. Erythrcea 

 Centaurium, Menyanthes trifoliata, Chlora perfoliata, Gentiana campestris 

 and Amarella, all British Kerbs, have been used in the same way. The 

 plants of this Order mostly have beautiful flowers, brilliant blue predomi- 

 nating, but red, white, and purple, and more rarely yellow occurring. The 

 Gentianella of our gardens is G. acaulis ; and the smaller Gentians are among 

 the most beautiful of Alpine plants. Villarsia nympliaoides is an elegant 

 water-plant occurring in Britain. Limnanthemum, an exotic genus, is also 

 aquatic. 



APOCTNACE^E. DOG-BANES. 

 Coh. Gentian ales, Bcnth. et Hook. 



Diagnosis. Plants with milky acrid juice, entire (mostly oppo- 

 site) leaves, without stipules ; flowers regular, 5-merous and. 5- 

 androus ; the 5 lobes of the corolla convolute and twisted in the 

 bud; the filaments distinct, springing from the corolla, and the 

 pollen granular ; ovary 2- or more rarely 1-celled, composed of 2 

 carpels more or less coherent in the ovarian and stylar region and 

 quite blended in the drum-shaped or dumb-bell-shaped stigma ; 

 ovules numerous ; fruit 1 or 2 follicles, a capsule, drupe, or berry ; 

 seeds mostly with fleshy or cartilaginous perisperm, often with a 

 tuft of hairs at the top. 



ILLUSTRATIVE GENERA. 



Tribe 1. CARISSE^. Anthers free ; ovary entire. Allamanda, L. 

 Tribe 2. PLUMIERLEJE. Anthers, free, ivithout appendages; ovaries free; 



styles united. Vinca, L. 

 Tribe 3. ECHITIDE^,. Anther-cells with appendages at the base ; ovaries 



free ; styles united. Keriuni, L. 



