CLASSIFICATION OF ANGIOSPERMS. 349 



the Meadow beauty (Rhexia). Quite a number of the plants are 

 cultivated and a large number yield edible fruits. The fruits, 

 barks and leaves frequently contain coloring principles. A yel- 

 low coloring principle is found in the leaves of a number of species 

 of Memecylon of the East Indies and Africa, which resembles 

 that of saffron and curcuma. Red coloring principles are found 

 in the berries of a number of species of Blakea of South America. 

 A black coloring principle is obtained from the fruit of several 

 species of Tamonea of tropical America, Melastoma malabathri- 

 cum of the East Indies and Tococa guianensis of Northern South 

 America and Tibouchina Maximiliana of Brazil. Tannin is found 

 in considerable quantity in the barks of Tibouchina, Dissotis and 

 IRhynchanthera. 



The leaves of Tamonea theazans are used in Peru as a sub- 

 stitute for tea. A mucilage is found in the bark of Medinilla 

 crispata of the Molucca Islands. The flowers of the latter plant 

 as well as of M. macrocarpa are used as a remedy for the bite of 

 poisonous serpents. 



j. ONAGRACE^ OR EVENING PRIMROSE FAMILY. 

 These are mostly annual or perennial herbs with usually entire 

 or toothed, simple leaves. The flowers are perfect, regular or 

 irregular, epigynous, variously colored, solitary in the axils of the 

 Ifeaves or in somewhat leafy spikes. The fruit is a dehiscent 

 capsule, berry, drupe, or nut. This family is represented in 

 temperate regions by such plants as the Willow herb (Epilobium), 

 Evening primrose (CEnothera), on which De Vries has carried 

 on his famous mutation experiments, and Enchanter's nightshade 

 (Circaea). The cultivated Fuchsia also belongs to this family, 

 the plants representing several species of Fuchsia which are native 

 to tropical America. Plants of quite a number of other genera 

 are cultivated, the flowers of some of them being quite irregular 

 and orchid-like in appearance, as Lopezia of Central America. 

 The flowers of a number of genera are light in color and some- 

 what luminous in the dark and hence are known as "night can- 

 dles." The seed-hairs of some of the Epilobiums are used in the 

 Arctic regions in making lamp-wicks. A yellow coloring principle 

 is obtained from the herb and unripe fruits of Jussieua pilosa of 

 Brazil. Considerable tannin is found in the leaves of Jussieua 



