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HISTORY OF THE VEGKTAELE KINGDOM. 



the divisions of its limb are sometimes rigid and 

 spinous. Tlie corolla is monopetalous, tubular, 

 infundibuliform, and regular ; beneath the five 

 stamina are five nectariferous glands. These 

 stamina are connected both by their filaments 

 and anthers, and form a cylindrical tube, each 

 anther opening by its inner surface. The infe- 

 rior ovary has a single cell, from the summit of 

 which hangs a reversed ovule. The summit of 

 the ovary presents an epigynous disk, and a sim- 

 ple style terminated by a hemispherical stigma. 

 In the genus acicarpha, all the flowers are united 

 together by their ovaries. The fruit is an ake- 

 nium crowned by the spinous teeth of the calyx. 

 The becd presents beneath its proper integument 

 an endosperm, containing an embryo which is 

 reversed like the seed. 



DiPSACE/EjDeCandolle. Stemherbaceous;leaves 

 opposite, without stipules ; flowers collected into 

 hemispherical or globiilar capitula, accompanied 

 at their base by an involucre of several leaflets. 

 The calyx is double; the outer monopetalous, 

 free, entire or divided into narrow, setaceous 

 segments ; the inner adherent to the ovary, and 

 terminated by an entire or divided limb. The 

 corolla is monopetalous, tubular, w ith four or 

 five unequal divisions. The stamina are of the 

 same number as the divisions, and alternate with 

 them. The ovary is inferior, with a single cell, 

 containing a single pendent ovule. The style 

 and stigma are simple. The fruit is an akenium 

 crowned by the limb of the calyx, and enveloped 

 in the outer calyx. The seed is pendent, and its 

 embryo, which has the same direction, is placed 

 in a rather thin fleshy endosperm. 



De Candolle has removed from this family 

 such as Jussieu left it, the genus Valeriana, and 

 some others, to fonn of them the family of val- 

 erianeffi, which diifers from the true dipsacese, in 

 not having the flowers collected into capitula, in 

 its simple calyx, its lobed stigma, &c. 



In their general aspect, and especially in their 

 inflorescence, the dipsacea3 have some resem- 

 blance to the synantherese, but they differ from 

 them in having the calyx double, the anthers 

 free, and the seed reversed. The principal gen- 

 era of this family are : dipsacus, scahiosa, and 

 knautia. 



The root of scahiosa succisa is astringent. 



VALERiANE/B,De Candolle. Herbaceous plants, 

 with opposite, simple, or more or less deeply 

 incised leaves, and flowers destitute of a calycu- 

 ius, usually disposed in terminal clusters or 

 panicles. Their calyx is simple, adherent to the 

 ovary, and having its limb toothed or involute, 

 and forming an entire margin. The corolla is 

 monopetalous, more or less irregular, and some- 

 times spurred at its base, and five-lobed. The 

 stamina vary from one to five, and are alternate 

 with the lobes of the corolla. The ovary is one- 

 celled : sometimes there are two other emptj'" 



cavities or false cells, s(i that the ovary seems 

 trilocular. The cell contains a single pendent 

 ovule. The style is simple, commonly termi- 

 nated by a trifid stigma. The fruit is an ake- 

 nium, crowned by the teeth of the calyx, or by 

 a feathery pappus, formed by the unrolling of 

 the limb. The seed contains an embryo desti- 

 tute of endosperm. 



This family is composed of the genera Valeri- 

 ana, centranthus, fedia, patrinia, and others. 



The root of Valeriana officinalis is bitter, aro- 

 matic, and antispasmodic, as are those of some 

 other species. The leaves of fedia are eaten as 

 salad. 



RuBiACE^, Jussieu. Opekcularie^, Jussieu . 

 Herbaceous plants, shrubs, and large trees. 

 Their leaves are either opposite or verticillate : 

 in the first case, they have on each side an intra- 

 petiolar stipule, which is often united to the 

 sides of the petiole, and forms a kind of sheath. 

 The flowers are axillar or terminal, sometimes 

 collected into a capitulum. The calyx, which 

 adheres by its base to the inferior ovary, has its 

 limb entire or divided into four or five more or 

 less deep and persistent lobes. The corolla is 

 monopetalous, regular, epigynous, with four or 

 five lobes. The stamina are of the same num- 

 ber as the lobes of the corolla, and alternate with 

 them. The ovary is inferior, surmounted by a 

 simple or bifid style. It has two, four, five, or 

 a greater number of cells, containing each one or 

 more ovules, which are erect or attached to the 

 inner angle of the cell. The fruit varies greatly. 

 Sometimes it is composed of two small mono- 

 spei-mous and indehiscent cocca ; sometimes it is 

 fleshy, and contains two monospermous nuclei ; 

 in certain genera it is a capsule, with two or a 

 greater number of cells, opening by as many 

 valves ; or a fleshy and indehiscent fruit. The 

 fruit is always crowned at its summit by the 

 limb of the calyx. The seeds, sometimes winged 

 and membranous on their margin, contain, in a 

 hard and horay endosperm, an axile embryo, 

 which is erect, or sometimes placed transversely 

 with respect to the hilum. 



This family is divided into two principal sec- 

 tions. In one are placed aU the genera with 

 verticillate leaves, such as galium, aspernla, 

 rubia, slier ardia, crucianella, &c.; in the other 

 the much more numerous genera, which have 

 the leaves opposite and the stipules intermediate, 

 as cinchona, coffea, cephaelis, psychotria, &c. 



The roots of rubia tinctorum, galium verum, 

 and other species, afford a red dye. The seeds 

 of galium aparine have been recommended as a 

 substitute for coffee. The plants of the second 

 section are remarkable for their powerful tonic 

 or emetic qualities. The tonic and febrifuge 

 properties of the bark of the cinchonse, depend 

 upon the presence of two alkalies, cinchonia and 

 quinin, which are combined with kinic acid. 



