614 CXXVIII. ERICINE^. 



and equal usually cohering and irregular petals, aestivation valvate. STAMENS 5, 

 opposite to the calyx-lobes, inserted with the corolla on a ring which is often dilated 

 into a disk crowning the top of the ovary ; filaments usually free from the corolla-tube, 

 distinct at the base and cohering above ; anthers introrse, 2- celled, cohering into a 

 usually curved cylinder. OVARY inferior or semi-superior, sometimes 2-3-celled by 

 the inflection of the edges of the carpels, or sub-1 -celled by the imperfection of the 

 septa ; or of 3 carpels joined by their edges, 2 of which are placentiferous on the 

 median nerves, and the third is narrower and sterile ; style simple ; stigma usually 

 emarginate, or of 2 lobes girt with a ring of hairs ; ovules anatropous, numerous, 

 generally horizontal, sessile, inserted on the inner angle of the cells, or on each side 

 of the septum. FRUIT indehiscent and fleshy, or capsular, dehiscence loculicidal, 

 longitudinal or apical, rarely transverse. SEEDS numerous, small ; hilum marked by 

 an orbicular pit ; raphe indistinct. EMBRYO straight, in the axis of a fleshy albumen ; 



radicle near the hilum. 



PRINCIPAL GENERA. 



* Clintonia. * Siphocampylus. * Centropogon. * Lobelia. 



Laurentia. * Tupa. * Isotoma. 



LoMiacea; are closely connected with Campanulficcfr, in which many botanists have placed them ; 

 they only differ in the irregular corolla, more complete cohesion of the stamens, and often fleshy fruit. 

 They approach Cichoracea-, a tribe of Compoxit &, in their milky juice, epigynous irregular corolla, synanthery 

 of the stamens, and stigmatic lobes furnished with collecting hairs; they are separated from it by the 

 many-ovuled ovary, horizontal ovules and presence of albumen. We have indicated their affinities with 

 Goodrniacca under that family. 



Some Lobdiacetp inhabit the north temperate zone ; most are dispersed over tropical and southern 

 regions, nearly in equal proportions in America and in the Old World, especially in temperate Australia 

 and South Africa. They are very rare in the northern regions of Asia and Europe. 



Lobelincece contain in abundance a very acrid and narcotic bitter juice, which burns the skin, and 

 taken internally produces mortal inflammation on the digestive canal ; and they are hence amongst the 

 most poisonous of plants. Some are employed in medicine by American practitioners, but with the 

 greatest caution. Lobelia injlata (Indian Tobacco) is used as an expectorant and diaphoretic in the 

 treatment of asthma ; but from being incautiously administered has caused many deaths. Tbe West 

 Indian Isotoma lonyiflora [a violent cathartic], also employed as a therapeutic, is as dangerous. [LobeUu 

 m/philitica, once in great repute, has fallen into disuse. L. rardinalii is an acrid anthelminthic, and the 

 European L. urens is a vesicant. ED.] 



CXXVIH. ERICINE^E. 



(ERIC^E ET RHODODENDRA, Jussieu. ERICACEAE, D.C. ERICINE^, Desvaux.) 



COROLLA mono- or poly-petalous, hypogynous, usually diplostemonoue. STAMENS 

 hypogynous, or rarely inserted at the base of the petals; ANTHERS 2-celled, usually 

 opening by 2 terminal pores. OVARY many-celled ; OVULES anatropous. FBUIT dry or 

 fleshy. EMBRYO albuminous, axile. STEM woody. 



SHRUBS or UNDERSHRUBS. LEAVES usually alternate, entire or toothed, exstipu- 

 late. FLOWERS 5 , axillary or terminal, solitary or aggregated. CALYX 4-5-fid or 

 -partite, persistent. COROLLA hypogynous, 4 5-merous, usually monopetalous, in- 

 serted at the outer base of a hypogynous disk, aestivation contorted or imbricate. 

 STAMENS usually double the petals in number, rarely equal, and then alternate with 



