PETALOIDE^E. 379 



Distribution. A large Order, the species of which are generally diffused, 

 but which, like Iridaceae, have their maximum at the Cape of Good Hope. 

 The Narcissea are common in Europe, while the genera unprovided with a 

 coronet are very rare in Europe and North America, but abound in South 

 Africa. 



Qualities and Uses. The Amaryllidaceae are commonly characterized 

 by active properties, the Amaryllece and the Narcissece especially being- 

 emetic and purgative, and even poisonous; the juice of the bulb of 

 JLcemantlius toxicarius is used by the Hottentots to poison arrows. 

 The Snowdrop (Galanthus nivalis), Snowflake (Leucojum vernum), the 

 Daffodil (Narcissus Pseudo-Narcissus}, with the other cultivated Narcissi, 

 Pancratium maritimum, &c. ; act as emetics. Others are astringent ; but 

 starch is washed from the roots of some species of Aktroemeria. The 

 Agaves are exceedingly valuable plants, having abundant innocuous sac- 

 charine sap, and large leaves containing excellent fibre. Ayave americana, 

 called by mistake the American Aloe, is the Hundred-years plant ; but 

 the statement that it lives 100 years before flowering is fabulous : it is 

 a native of America, but is naturalized in some parts of S. Europe, and is 

 planted, on account of its large spiny leaves, to form fences. From this 

 and other species is obtained Pira thread, a valuable fibre ; Pulque (a 

 fermented liquor) and a brandy distilled from this are made by cutting 

 the buds out of ^aye-plants and collecting the sap, which exudes in great 

 abundance when this operation is performed just before the flowering 

 stem is pushed out ; these plants are also called Maguey-plants. This 

 Order affords a number of beautiful flowers, more permanent than Irida- 

 cese, and often attaining a very large size. Most of them are annual 

 flowerers ; but the Ayavece, having remarkable foliage, like that of the 

 Aloes in Liliacea3, produce flowering stems (sometimes many feet in 

 height) after vegetating for a number of years, whence the story of the 

 Hundred-years Aloe. Sternberyia lutea is supposed to be the Lily of the 

 fields referred to by Christ. 



HYPOXIDACE^E are a small Order of epigynous Monocotyledons, nearly 

 related to Amaryllidacese, but differing in their habit, having hairy 

 foliage and no bulbs, and in their usually strophiolate seeds having the 

 radicle distant from the hilum. The 6 stamens, the imbricated, distinctly 

 petaloid perianth, and the habit of the foliage separate them from 

 Iridaceae. They occur scattered in the warmer parts of the globe, and 

 are apparently more or less bitter and aromatic. The tubers of some are 

 eaten. Genera : Curculiyo, Geertn. ; Forbesia, Eckl. ; Hypoxis y L. j 

 Sauridia, Harv. 



HJEMODORACE^: are herbs with fibrous roots, usually equitant leaves, 

 and perfect 3-6-androus regular flowers, which are woolly or scurfy 

 outside ; the tube of the 6-parted perianth adherent to the whole surface, 

 or merely to the lower part of the 3-celled ovary ; anthers introrse ; sta- 

 mens superposed to the petals when 3 j seeds with cartilaginous perisperni ; 

 radicle remote from the hilum. The structure of the genera included in 

 this Order is rather irregular: from Amaryllidaceee they are usually 

 distinguished by the woolly tubular perianth, the equitant leaves, and, in 

 some cases, by the 3 stamens ; but none of these characters are without 



