84 



SAUIIACKNIACE.E. 



Prrparnllima. — Tlirrn nro ncitlicr oHicijil nor roitimorrial propfirnlions ; 

 niid cvfu the rlji/.omc ituclf is stiduiii kept by the .-ipotlRcurit'S. 



jMt'iiical I'rnpi'iiics uml Txcs,— llcconlH of the eiiiployment of tliis 

 pliiiit uri' oxti'emt'ly meag^rc in njciliciil literature. It lias been used as au 

 nstrinj'ent in dysentery, diarrlio-.i, and calarrlial alVections, in the hist- 

 nanied caHes botli infernally and loeally. It has also been enii)l()yed 

 iojiically as a disctitient, and as an astringent ])onltieo to suppurating- ul- 

 eers. As it depends for its etheaey upon the tannie and {jjallie aeids wliieh 

 it contains, it is hardly worthy of consideration when a clioice of remediea 

 is to bo made. 



SARRACENIACE/E. 



Cliarncler (>/' tin- Ortler. — Perennial bog or marsh plauts, with hollow, 

 pitcher-like, or trumpct-,shap(Hl radical leaves and hypogyuous, polyau- 

 drouH flowers. 



A small and iininiportaiit though curious oi-der of plants, conip,rising 

 but three g(>nera, of whi(;h two, Sarracenia and Darlingtouia, are indigenous 

 to North America. 



SARRACENIA.— PiTCUEa-rLANT, 



Character of the Ckixns — Sepals 5, witli 3 bractlets at tlieir base, col- 

 orf<l. persistent. Petals 5, oblong or obovate, inenrvful upon the ovar}', 

 colored, deciduor.s. JJoth sepals and petals arc imbric^ate in ieijtivati(» 



Stamens indeiinite in number, hypogynous ; anthers 

 oblong, aduate, 2-celled, bursting internally and longi- 

 tudinally. Ovary solitary, 5-celled, many-ovuled ; style 

 short, expamled at its summit into a large, 5-angled, 

 lunbrella-sliaped lamina, with a small, incurved stigma 

 at each angle. Capsule, crowned by the persistent 

 style, 5-celled, each cell opening by a locuiicidal valve. 

 Seeds very numerous, minute, attached to 5 2:)lacenta3 

 which project from the axis into the cavity of the cells. 

 Perennial herbs, witli short, tilirous-roolod rhizomes, 

 radical, hollow, pitcher-like, or trumpet-shaped leaves, 

 and naked scapes, bearing each a si^igle nodding flower. 

 Sarracenia purpurea Linne. — Fitcher -Plant, Side- 

 saddli' F/oirer. 



Defieripfion. — Calyx : sepals 1 inch long, half as wide, 

 brcnvnish-red or purplish externally, greenish within. 

 Corolla : petals longer and narrower than the sepals, 

 contr.icted toward, dilated at, the base, lighter in 

 color externally than the sepals, still lighter within, folding inward, and 

 nearly concealing the expanded style. Stamens numerous, completely 

 covered by the style, which is 1 inch or more wide, light grayish- 



Fio. l02.~SaiT.ic('niii 

 pni'imria. 



