322 SYSTEMATIC BOTAXY. 



Hence there appears a connexion between them and Salvadoracese, which 

 approach Verbenaceee and JShretiece among the Boraginaceae in other points. 

 Some of the plants are European ; most of them belong to the Cape. 

 Globularies have purgative and emetic properties. Genera: Selayo, L. ; 

 Globularia, L. 



ACANTHACE^l. 



Coll. Personales, Benth. et Hook. 



Herbs or shrubs with opposite or whorled simple exstipulate leaves ; 

 flowers irregular, bracteated, with an imbricated hypogynous more or less 

 2-]ipped corolla, didyuamous or diandrous stamens attached to the tube of 

 the corolla ; fruit a 2-celled, 4-12-seeded capsule ; seeds anatropous, aperi- 

 spermic, usually flat, supported by hooked or cup-shaped projections of 

 the placentas; radicle inferior. Illustrative Genera: Thwioerffia, L. j 

 Ruellia, L.; Barleria, L.; Acanthus, L. j Adhatoda, Nees; Justicia, L. 



Affinities, &c. This Order is closely related to Scrophulariacese and Big- 

 noniacese, differing from the former in the aperispermic seeds, from the 

 latter chiefly, so far as written characters can be given, in the structure 

 of the placenta and in the seeds not being winged. Generally speaking, 

 the large bracts of the inflorescence, and the imbricated calyx of unequal 

 sepals, give a peculiar and characteristic appearance to these plants. The 

 seeds of Acanthodium, Ruellia, and other species have a testa clothed with 

 curious compound hairs containing spiral fibres. By Bentham and Hooker, 

 following Anderson, the Order is divided into five tribes, viz. Thunberyiece, 

 Nelsoniece, Huelliecs. Acanthece, and Justiciecs. The distinctions are founded 

 upon the nature of the calyx, the aestivation of the corolla, the characters 

 afforded by the seeds, &c. 



Distribution. A large Order, chiefly tropical. 



Qualities and Uses. Mostly without active properties. The most strik- 

 ing peculiarity lies in the beauty of the flowers of many kinds, which 

 renders them great favourites in our stoves. Acanthus mollis is interest- 

 ing from its leaves having, it is said, furnished the model of the Corinthian 

 capital. Andrographis paniculata is used as a bitter tonic. 



BIGNONIACE./E (THE TRUMPET-FLOWER OB DEE,) consists of woody, 

 or rarely herbaceous plants, often twining or climbing, with exstipulate 

 leaves, hypogynous sympetalous corollas, didynamous or diandrous sta- 

 mens : the ovary commonly 2-celled, by the meeting of the 2 placentas or 

 of projections from them, surrounded at the base by a disk ; many-seeded j 

 the seeds large, winged, with a flat embryo, and no perisperm. Illustrative 

 Genera : Biynonia, L. ; Tecoma. Juss. : Catalpa, Scop. : Eccremocarpus, 

 K. &P. 



By Bentham and Hooker the order is divided into four tribes, Biyno- 

 tiiea>, Tecomcce, Jacamndeee, and Crescentiece ; the latter often treated as 

 a separate Order. The points of distinction are the number of cavities in 

 the ovary, the nature of the fruit, the erect or climbing habit, &c. 



