550 



BOTANY. 



Aside from tlie ornamental species and the weeds, the order possesses 

 no plants of much economic importance. 



The roots of Swpouwria officinalis contain Saponin, and are detergent, 

 but not sufficiently so to be much used. 



Among the ornamental plants are the Carnations and Clove Pinks 

 (Dianthus sp.), the Mullein Pink (Lychnis), Catchfly (Silene), Bouncing 

 Bet {Saponcvria), CrypsopMla, etc. 

 Among the weeds are species of Gerastium (Fig. 527), Spergula, and 



the Corn Cockle, 

 Lychnis Oithago. 

 The latter is often 

 quite abundant in 

 wheat fields, to the 

 great detriment of 

 the flour manufac- 

 tured from the 

 wheat. 



Order Franken- 

 iaceae. — Mari- 

 time herbs and 

 low shrubs resem- 

 bling Caryophyll- 

 aceae, but with par- 

 ietal placentae. 



602. — Cohort 

 XXXIV. Poly- 



galales. Flow- 

 ers actinomorph- 

 ic or zygomorph- 

 ic ; stamens defi- 

 nite,' as many 

 as or twice as 

 many as the pet- 

 als ; ovary usual- 



Fig. 52!".— InfloreBcence of Cermtium colUnum. <, pri- 

 mary axis : i', secondary axes ; t", tertiary axes ; t'", qua- 

 ternary axes ; f", quinary axes.— After Duchartre. 



ly two-celled ; seeds mostly with endosperm. 



Order Vochysiacese. — Trees with a resinous juice, and opposite or 

 Terticillate leaves ; flowers zygomorphic. Species about 100, confined 

 to tropical America. 



Vochysia Guianensis, of Guiana, furnishes the Copai-ye Wood, there 

 used for making boat-oars, the staves for sugar hogsheads, etc. 



Order Polygalaoese. — Mostly herbs with alternate leaves ; flowers 

 zygomorphic. Species 400, distributed throughout temperate and 

 tropical countries. 



