642 



HISTORS OF THE VEGETABLE KINGDOM. 



colocynthis. The roots of hryonia alba and 

 momordica elaterium are also of a purgative 

 quality. 



LoASE^, Jussieu. Herbaceous, branched 

 plants, often covered with hispid hairs, the 

 stinging of "vvhich burns like that of a nettle. 

 Their leaves are alternate or opposite, entire or 

 variously lobed. Their flowers, which are 

 pretty frequently yellow and large, are some- 

 times solitary, sometimes variously grouped. 

 The calyx is monosepalous, tubular, free or 

 adherent to the inferior ovary, having its limb 

 with five divisions. The corolla is of five regu- 

 lar, flat or concave petals. The throat of the 

 calyx is sometimes furnished with five appen- 

 dages, or a divided border. The stamina, which 

 are generally very numerous, are sometimes of 

 the same number as the petals. The ovary is 

 free or inferior, with a single cell, presenting 

 internally three parietal trophosperms, some- 

 times projecting in the form of dissepiments, 

 and bearing several ovules. The ovary is sur- 

 mounted by three long, slender styles, some- 

 times united into one, and terminated each by 

 a simple or penicillate stigma. The fruit is a 

 capsule, crowned by the lobes of the calyx, or 

 naked, opening at its summit only into three 

 valves, which bear one of the trophosperms on 

 the middle of their inner face, excepting in the 

 genus loasea, in which the trophosperms corres- 

 pond to the sutures. The seeds, which are some- 

 times arillate, present a homotrope embryo in a 

 fleshy endosperm. 



This family is composed of the genera loasa, 

 mentzelia, Maprothia, turnera and piriqueta. 



Passifloee^, Jussieu. Herbaceous plants, 

 or shrubs with sarmentaceous stems, furnished 

 with extra-axillar tendrils, and alternate, simple 

 or lobed leaves, accompanied with two stipules 

 at their base. More rarely they are trees desti- 

 tute of tendrils. Their flowers are generally 

 large and solitary ; more rarely they form a kind 

 of raceme. They are hermaphrodite, with a 

 monosepalous, turbinate, or long and tubular 

 calyx, with five more or less deep, sometimes 

 coloured divisions, and a corolla of five petals, 

 inserted at the upper part of the tube of the 

 calyx. The stamina are five, monadelphous at 

 their base, and forming a tube which covers the 

 support of the ovary, and is united with it. The 

 anthers are versatile, and two-celled. Exter- 

 nally of the stamina, are appendages of very 

 diversified form, sometimes filamentous, some- 

 times in the form of scales or of pedicellate 

 glands, united »ircularly, and forming from one 

 to three crowns, which arise at the orifice and 

 upon the walls of the tube of the calyx. Some- 

 times these appendages, and even the corolla, are 

 entirely wanting. The ovary is free, with a long 

 stalk and a single cell, presenting from three to 

 five longitudinal trophosperms, which sometimes 



project in the form of false dissepiments, and 

 give attachment to a great number of ovules. 

 It is surmounted by three or four styles, termin- 

 ated by as many simple stigmas. In some rare 

 cases the stigmas are sessile. The fruit is fleshy 

 internally, containing a very great number of 

 seeds ; more rarely it is drj', but always indehis- 

 cent. The seeds have a fleshy endosperm, in 

 which is a homotrope and axile embryo. 



This family is composed of the genera passi- 

 flora, tacsonia, murucuja, mahsherbia, deidamia, 

 kolbia, and probably carica, which is also placed 

 among the cucurbitaoetE. 



The sweetish, fragrant, and cooling pulp of 

 the fruits of several species is eaten. The fruit 

 of the papaw, carica papaya, is eaten when ripcj 

 and in the immature state is vermifuge. 



The passion flowers are handsome twining 

 greenhouse plants. 



Hygkoeie^, Rich. Oercodianecs, Jussieu. 

 HahragetB, Brown. A small family, composed 

 generally of aquatic plants, often bearing verti- 

 cillate leaves. The flowers are very small, axil- 

 lar, sometimes unisexual, with a monosepalous 

 calyx adhering to the inferior ovary, and ter- 

 minated above by a limb with three or four 

 lobes. The corolla, which is sometimes want- 

 ing, is composed of three or four petals alternate 

 with the lobes of the calyx. The stamina are 

 of the same or double the number of the petals, 

 to which they are opposite in the former case. 

 The ovary has from three to four cells, each con- 

 taining a single reversed ovule. From the sum- 

 mit of the ovary spring three or four filifoi-m, 

 glandular, or downy stigmas. The fruit is a 

 berry or a capsule, crowned by the lobes of the 

 calyx, with several monospermous cells. The 

 seeds are reversed, and contain a cylindrical, 

 homotrope embryo in a fleshy endosperm. 



The genera are myriophyllum, haloragis, cer- 

 codia, proserpinaca, triads, and are all uninter- 

 esting weeds. 



Onagkaei^, Jussieu. Herbaceous, rarely 

 frutescent plants, with simple, opposite, or scat- 

 tered leaves, and terminal or axillar flowers. 

 The calyx is adherent to the inferior ovary ; its 

 limb, four or five lobed. The corolla is formed 

 of four or five petals, laterally incumbent and 

 spirally twisted previous to expansion. It is 

 rarely wanting. The stamina are of the same 

 number as the petals, or double their number, 

 sometimes fewer. The ovary is inferior, and 

 has four or five cells, containing a considerable 

 number of ovules, attached to their inner angle. 

 The style is simple, and the stigma is sometimes 

 simple, sometimes four or five-lobed. The fruit 

 is a berry or a capsule, with four or five cells, 

 each often containing only a small number of 

 seeds, and opening by as many valves, bearing 

 the dissepiments on the middle of tlieir inner 

 surface. The seeds have a proper integument, 



