174 ENGLISH BOTANY. 



in the middle of the filament, on account of the long appendage into 

 which their connective is produced. Berry about the size of a lai'ge 

 black currant, globular-turbinate, slightly 4-lobed, bluish-black, with 

 a very tender skin and a juicy interior, each cell with 4 to 6 small 

 dark-coloured seeds wth pale bases, about the size of large sago 

 grains. 



Herb Paris. 



French, Parkeite a qicafre feuilles. German, Vierhldttrige Einbeere. 



The leaves and berries of tliis plant are said to partake of the properties of opium. 

 The juice of the berries has been used as an ophthalmic. Linnajus says the roots are 

 useful as an emetic, and are equal to ipecacuanha in this respect. Raphides are found 

 in most parts of the plant, especially in the segments of the perianth.* 



Sub-Oeder II.— ASPARAGE^. 



Leaves of the perianth combined or free, all similar and generally 

 petaloid. Styles united. Fruit a berry. 



Herbs (rarely shrubs or trees) with the rootstock not bulbous, often 

 creeping, and more or less thickened. Stem sunple or branched, some- 

 times twining, vdth alternate or more rarely opposite or verticillate 

 leaves. Leaves with parallel veins, or sometimes scarious and scalelike : 

 the functions of the leaves are then performed by herbaceous filiform 

 or leaflike branches (cladodia). 



GENUS //.— S MILACINA. Desf. 



Flowers perfect. Perianth leaves free or combined at the very base, 

 coloured, deciduous, 6 (more rarely 4), spreading or spreading-recurved, 

 all nearly similar. Stamens as many as the perianth leaves, and in- 

 serted on their base; filaments subulate or filiform; anthers short. 

 Ovaiy free, 3- or 2-celled; ovules 2 in each cell; style single, short 

 and thick ; stigma obscurely 3- or 2-lobed. Berry globose, 1- or 

 2-seeded. Seeds subglobose; testa thin, pale. 



Herbs with creeping slender or thickened rhizomes and simple 

 erect leafy stems. Leaves sessile or shortly stalked, striate. Flowers 

 small, white, in a terminal raceme or panicle. 



It is supposed that the name of this genus is given to it on account of the pre- 

 sence of a alkahne principle, detected by Folchi in the root of the Sviilax Sarsa- 

 parilla, called smilacine. 



* In justice to Mr. Gulliver, -we must mention that for years previous to 1863 he 

 had been engaged in observations of raphides, and that he had announced as the 

 result of his researches, that " certain orders of plants may be readily distingoished 

 from their allies by raphides alone." See his numerous papers on the subject in the 

 "Annals of Natural History," 1861-G3.— Ed. 



