DICOTYLEDONES CALYCIFLOR^. 407 



Albumen 0. Cotyledons foliaceous, nerved. — Succulent climbing 

 plants, ivith tendrils, frequently scabrous. Tliis Oidei contains 

 Cucurbita, the Gourd; Elaterium, a powerful catliartic ; Cu- 

 cumis, the Cucumber, and Melons ; among which are the Colo- 

 cynth. Bitter- Apples or Bitter Cucumber, C. Colocynthis, and C. 

 Lagenaria, Bottle- Gourd, 6)C.; all ahonnding in a bitter laxative. 

 — Bryonia, j9. 323. 



(PAPAYACEiE. South-American Trees, leafy at the top only, yielding 

 an acrid milky juice. Leaves lobed, on long- stalks. Carica is the 

 Papaw Tree, which has the singular property of rendering tender the 

 old and tough meat of hogs, poultry, &c., which are suspended among 

 the leaves or washed with the juice, a purpose for which it is commonly 

 employed in the West Indies.) 



(Passiflore^. Sj)lendid climbing shrubs, abounding in tropical 

 America, closely alHed to the preceding. To this most extensive genus 

 the name of Passijiora is given, from a fancied resemblance in the dif- 

 ferent parts of the plant to the instruments of our Saviour's Passion.) 



Ord. XXXIII. PORTULACE^. Sepals^, rarely 3 or 

 5, cohering by their base. Petcds mostly 5, sometimes wanting. 

 Stamens (as well as the petals) inserted on the base of the 

 calyx, of uncertain number and often opposite the petals. 

 Ovary 1 -celled. Style 1 or 0. Stigmas several. Capsxde open- 

 ing transversely or by 3 valves. Seeds numerous, on a central 

 receptacle. Albumen farinaceous, surrounded by the curved 

 Embryo. — Succulent Herbs or Shrubs. Portulaca sativa is the 

 Purslane — Montia, p. 20. 



Ord. XXXIV. PARONYCHIEiE. ^Sepa/^S (rarely 3 or 

 4), more or less cohering at the base. Petals minute, alternat- 

 ing with the lobes of the calyx, or 0. Ovary free. Styles 2 — 5. 

 Fruit small, dry, 1- (rarely 3-) celled, 1 — 3 valved, or indehis- 

 cent. Seeds numerous on a free central receptacle, or solitary 

 and suspended on a long stalk arising from the base of the cell. 

 Albumen farinaceous, curved, lateral. — Small branching herba- 

 ceous or suffruticose plants, ivith sessile entire leaves and mem- 

 branaceous stipules (except in Scleranthus). Flowers sessile, 

 small. — An Order closely allied in many respects to Caryo- 

 PHYLLEyE, as also to AmaranthacEjE and Chenopode^e, and 

 like these two, having frequently a single perianth — 1. Corri- 

 GioLA, p. 86. 2. Heunjaria, p. 20. 3. Illecebrum, j9. 78. 

 4. Polycarpon. />. 85. 3. Scleranthus,/?. 168. 



Ord. XXXV. CRASSULACEiE. Sepals 3—20, more 

 or less cohering at the base. Petals 3 — 20, inserted (as well as 

 the stamens) at the base of the calyx. Stamens as many as 

 petals, or twice that number and then frequently alternately 

 shorter and taller. Glands 5, or obsolete. Follicles as many as 

 petals, 1-celled, tapering into stigmas. Seeds fixed in a double 

 row to the sutures. Albumen thin. — Herbs or Shrubs, icith 



