VIOLACEAE VIOLA 633 



Dr. Rusby says : 



Many violets are noted for their ipecac properties, yielding a glucoside called violin long 

 confused with the emetin yielded by ipecac. They may be classed among the emetico-cathartics, 

 and a large quantity might easily be productive of serious results to a child. 



According to Spatzier, the seeds of violet contain myrosin and a glucoside. 

 PASSIFLORACEAE. Passion Flower Family 



Shrubs or herbs climbing by axillary tendrils; leaves alternate, simple, gen- 

 erally 3-lobed; flowers perfect, regular, axillary; calyx tube persistent; petals 

 usually 5, inserted on the throat of the calyx tube, which is fringed with a crown 

 of a double or triple row of long, slender fringe; stamens 5, monadelphous, en- 

 closing the stipe of the ovary; pistil 1; ovary with 3-5 parietal placentas; styles 

 1-5; fruit a berry or capsule, usually many-seeded. 



A small family of about 300 species of warm and tropical regions. The 

 common blue passion flower (Passiflora caerulea} of South America is fre- 

 quently cultivated. The P. edulis, native of the West Indies, about the size of 

 a hen's egg, is eaten; the grandilla (P. quadrangularis} producing a fruit 6 

 inches long, often weighs 3 pounds. The common maypop of the South (P. 

 incarnata) with a fruit about the size of a hen's egg, is eaten. This species and 

 the P. lutea are sometimes weedy. The Tacsonia yields hydrocyanic acid. 



LOASACEAE. Mentzelia Family 



Herbs with rough, often stinging hairs, leaves without stipules ; flowers reg- 

 ular, perfect, whitish, yellow or reddish ; calyx tube adherent to the ovary, lobes 

 4-5; petals 4-5, inserted on the calyx; stamens numerous; pistil 1, usually 1- 

 celled, with 2 or 3 parietal placentae; fruit a capsule, 1-celled with the persistent 

 lobes of the calyx; endosperm scant. 



About 200 species, nearly all native to North America. The Kissenia, how- 

 ever, being found in Africa. Species of the genus Blumenbachia (B. grandi- 

 flora) produce pretty flowers and are cultivated in greenhouses. The Ment- 

 zelia gronoviae folia, from Mexico and Texas, is also cultivated. The leaves of 

 Mentzelia ornata and other species produce hooked hairs which are often annoy- 

 ing to man. 



Mentzelia (Plumier) L. Mentzelia 



Herbs with erect stems, alternate leaves with barbed hairs; flowers usually 

 showy, terminal, solitary or clustered; calyx tube cylindrical or club-shaped, 

 lobes persistent; petals 5-10, regular, spreading, falling, usually turning black in 

 drying; stamens numerous, inserted on the throat of the calyx tube; styles 3, 

 more or less united; capsule dehiscent at the summit, many-seeded; seeds flat. 

 About 50 species, American, chiefly west of the Mississippi river. 



Mentzelia ornata Torr. and Gray. Showy Mentzelia 



A rough herb from 1-2 feet high; leaves oblong-lanceolate, deeply toothed 

 or pinnatifid; flowers solitary, much larger than the lanceolate calyx lobes; 

 petals 10, yellowish-white, 2-3 inches long: capsule \ l /2-2 inches long; seeds 

 numerous, with narrow margin. 



Distribution. Northwestern Iowa to Dakotas to Central Kansas and Texas. 



Injurious properties. The hooked hairs of the plant cause the leaves to 

 stick to sheep, clothing, etc. Prof. Goodale of Cambridge, Mass., is quoted by 



