424 MONOCOTYI.EDONES — PETALOIDEiE. 



black, cnistaceous and brittle. Albnmoi flesliy or cartilaginous. 

 — Chiefly distinguished from the preceding Order by the black 

 crustaceous testa of the seed. Most of the family contain a 

 bitter juice. Tiie root of Scilla maritima affords the Squill of 

 the shops. Soccotrine Aloes is produced l)y Aloe Soccotrina ; 

 Barbadoes Aloes by A. perfoliata. New Zealand Flax is the 

 fibre from tiie leaves of Phormium tenax. Gum-Dragon is the 

 concrete juice of Draccena Draco. — (Bulbous). 1. Alliu31, p. 

 134. 2. Gagea,/?. 134. 3. Ornithogalum, />. 134. 4. Scilla, 

 p. 135. 5. Hyacinthus, jo. 135. 6. Muscari, p. 135. — (Not 

 Bulbous.) 7. Anthericum, />. 135. 8. Asparagus,/). 135. 



Okd. XC. MELANTHACE7E, Perianth petaloid, 6-par- 

 tite or tubular by the cohesion of the claws of the segments, 

 which are often rolled inward before expansion. Stamens 6, 

 perigynous. Anthers usually turned outwards. Ovary free, 

 with 3 cells and many seeds. Style partly or entirely divided 

 into 3. Stigmas undivided. Capstiles separable into 3 valves. 

 Integument of the seeds neither black nor crustaceous, but mem- 

 branous. Albumen firm, fleshy. — Hoot sometimes bulbous. Leaves 



sheathing at the base, ivith parallel nerves Strongly narcotic, 



diuretic and cathartic. Veratrine is from Veratrum Sabadilla, 

 1. CoLCHiouM, /;. 137. 2. Tofieldia, /). 136. 



Ord. XCI. RESTl ACE/E. Flowers glumaceous, 2—6 par- 

 tite, seldom 0. Stamens hypogynous, 1 — 6 ; when 2 or 3, in a 

 4 — 6 divided perianth, opposite the inner segments of the latter. 

 Ooary free, with 1 or more cells. Ovules solitary, pendulous. 

 Fruit capsular or nucumeiitaceous. Seeds inverted. Embryo 

 lenticular, within the base of a copious albumen. — Herbs (ciud, 



in Eriocaulon, marsh-plaids') or under-shrubs Leaves simple, 



narrow or 0. Stems naked, or more usually with sheaths slit on 

 ojie side. Flowers generally moncecious, in spikes or heads, and 

 separatedby scales or bracteas. — Eriocaulon, p. 323. 



Ord. XCII. JUNCE.E. Pman^/^ 6-partite, subglumaceous, 

 persistent. Stamens 6, inserted into the base of the segments, 

 or sometimes 3, and then opposite the outer segments. Ovary 

 free, 1 — 3-celled, 1 — many-seeded, or 1 -celled and 3-seeded. 

 Style 1. /Si^i^mas usually 3, sometimes 1. jPyv«Y capsular, with 

 3 valves, bearing the dissepiment in the middle, rarely closed 

 and by abortion 1-seeded. Embryo cylindrical, at the base of 

 a hard fleshy or cartilaginous albumen. — Herbs, mostly with 

 grassy or subulate leaves, sometimes wanting, and mostly brown and 

 glumaceous jlowers. — 1. JuNCUS, />. 136. 2. Luzula,jo. 136. 3. 

 Narthecium, 7:*. 135. 



(Palm.e. The Princes of the Vegetable Kingdom ; many of them 

 afford the natives of llie country they inhabit, food and drink, and 

 materials for clothing and dwellings.) 



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