NATURAL ORDERS. 29 



22. Colchice'.e. Colchicum tribe. Emetic and cathartic. Examples : Col- 

 chicum, Melanthium. Tliis order is by some called MelanthacecB. 



Class IV. Monocotyledons. 



Stamens ejngynous, (above the genn.) 



23. Orchide'jE. Orchis-like plants. Roots fibrous or tuberous. Stem simple 

 Leaves mostly radical, sheathing ; caulineones sessile. Flowers bracted, com- 

 monly in a spilfe, seldom solitary. Perianth irregular, 6-parted, 3 divisions ex- 

 ternal, 3 internal, and 9-petaloid ; a lower one in the form of a lip, often spurred 

 Stamens 3, adnate to the style in part or wholly; two are usually abortive, 

 Style thick. Stigma oblique, viscid. Examples: Orchis, Cypripedium, Neot 

 tia. Properties : farinaceous and emollient. 



24. Alu s^. Banana tribe. Examples: Plantain-tree, {Musa^) Bread-fruit, 

 (Artocarpus.) (See Plate 2. Fig. 4.) 



25. C.\n"n.s;. The hulian recd-tribe. This is subdivided into Marantacete, 

 the arrow-root tribe, and AmoJiia:, or Scitaviinacem, the ginger tribe. Proper- 

 ties: aromatic, and carminative. (Plate 3. Fig. 4.) 



26. Hydrochar"ides. Tape-grass tribe. Floating plants. Examples: Hy- 

 drocharis, ValUsneria. (Plate 8. Fig. L) 



Class V. Dicotyledons. 



Ajtetalous—Slmnens epigynoiis. Calyx superior. Monosepalous, (above the genn.) 



27. Aristolo'chi.e. Wild ginger tribe. Perennial. Flowers Gynandroub. 

 Examples : Virginia snake-root, {Aristolochia,) Wild ginger, {Asarum.) 



Class VI. Dicotyledons. 



Slame7is perigynous, (around the germ.) Perianth single, in some cases resembling a calyx, 

 in others a corolla. 



28. Eleag^n^;. Flowers dioecious. Fruit a drupe or nut. Leaves alternate. 

 Trees or shrubs. Examples : Pepperage-tree and Eleagnus. 



29. Hymele'.e. Under-shrubs. Stamens 8. Style L Fruit, a drupeole. Co- 

 tyledons large, fleshy. Perisperm, thin. Examples : Leather-wood and Daphne. 

 Bark caustic when chewed. 



30. Prote'^. Silver-tree tribe. Deciduous shrubs from the Cape of Good 

 Hope. Example : Protea. 



31. 'Lkv'-Ri, {o'n Laurinecc.) The Laurel tribe. Trees. Flowers Enneandrous; 

 4 to 6 cleft. Fruit a berry or drupe. The American plants of this family are 

 the spice-bush, (Laurus benzoin,) and Sassafras. Medicinal properties various 

 and important. 



32. Polygo'ne.e. The Dock tribe. Herbaceous. Leaves alternate, at first 

 revolute, petioled. Flowers panicled, or in a .spike. Fruit a nut, usually tri- 

 angular, as in the buckwheat. Seed with farinaceous albumen. Examples: 

 Dock, rhubarb, buckwheat. 



33. Atrip"lices. Pig-iveed tribe. Flowers with little beauty. Herbs or 

 small shrubs. The beet, poke-weed, and pig-weed, are examples of this family. 

 The pig-weed is by some arranged in a new order, Chenopodeoe; and the poke- 

 weed in another, Phytolaccea;. 



Class VII. Dicotyledons. 



Stamens, (beneath the germ.) 



34. Amaran"thi. Coxcomb-like plants. Stem herbaceous. Leaves entire. 

 Flowers small, numerous, often bracted, sometimes imperfect, in a head, ra- 

 ceme or spike. Perianth often coloured, monosepalous. Pericarp either a 

 pyxide or utricle. Example : Amaranthus. 



35. Pi-antagin"e.e. Plantain tribe. Herbaceous. Leaves inany-nerved 

 Flowers sessile, bracted in a spike. Stamens 4. Pyxide 4-celled, many-seeacu. 

 Example: Plantain. U.seful as a pot herb. Emollient. 



36. NycTA'crNEs. Mirabilis tribe. The principal family in this order is the 

 Four o'clock, (Mirabilis.) Properties : cathartic and emetic. 



37. Plumba'gines. Marsh rosemary tribe. Herbs or under-shrabs. Leaves 

 alternate or clustered. Corolla regular. Stamens 5, ovary 1-celled; ovule, pen- 

 dulous. Fruit, a utricle. Properties : astringent, tonic. Example : Statice. 



Class VIII. Dicotyledoiis. 



Corollas monopetalous. hypogynous, (below ihe germ,) re??* fur m trregtuar, oeartngin^mu 

 mens, tchick generally alternate with its segments when of equal number ; germ superior. 



38. LYSiMACH''i.ff;, (or Primulacea.) The Loose strife, or primrose tribe. A fami- 



