430 THE GENTIAN FAMILY. 



the top of its stem, or sometimes a smaller number appear in the axils of 

 the upper leaves. The straight bell-like corolla of deep blue flares some- 

 what at its summit, and it is interesting to notice that between its ovate 

 lobes are short appendages, delicately fringed. 



G. Saponarz'a, soapwort gentian, which occurs in wet soil from Louisiana 

 and Florida to Canada, shows often its bright blue and large corolla as late 

 as November. It reminds us strongly of the blind gentian in being club- 

 shaped and almost closed, while we find on examining it that its lobes are 

 but little longer than the appendages between them. This gentian and the 

 species, villosa, which follows, also the closed or blind one, seem all to be 

 indiscriminately called through the mountains Samson's snakeroot, and 

 decoctions made from them are taken in great doses as a remedy for dys- 

 pepsia and are favourably regarded as powerful tonics to invigorate the 

 system. For, most unhappily, dyspepsia and heart-disease are common 

 among the mountaineers. That the stuff has the effect of putting renewed 

 life in them is quite true, but so little idea have they of quantity that in other 

 ways it causes them harm. They use it for their horses also, and the " yarb 

 doctors " among them make it into powders. The negroes, on the other 

 hand, have really faith that the gentians can cure snake-bite. 



G. viUbsa, striped gentian, or Samson's snakeroot, a beautiful and unusual- 

 appearing plant, when in bloom is known at a glance from other gentians by 

 its oblong, funnel-form, greenish white corolla, which is striped inside very 

 prettily with purple. Its leaves are obovate and mostly blunt at their apices. 

 It is one of the latest bloomers among its relatives. 



G. Porphyria, one-flowered gentian, bears in a solitary way a rather 

 strange-looking flower of blue and green and yellow, the ovate corolla- 

 lobes of which are very spreading and the little appendages which attach 

 them very short, fringed, and considerably brighter in colour. In a simple 

 or branched way it grows, sometimes as high as twenty inches, and abun- 

 dantly bears sessile, linear leaves. 



THE BUCKBEAN FAMILY. 



MenyantJiacecB. 



Ifi our species aquatic or swamp herbs with simple floating or three- 

 foliate leaves^ entire ; and which bear in clusters or racemes regular^ per- 

 fect flotvers. 



