498 



MANUAL OF POISONOUS PLANTS 



Fig. 260a. Various insectivorous plants: 1, Sarracenia variolaris; 2, Darlingtonia cati- 

 fornica; 3, Sarracenia laciniata; 4, bjepenthes villosa. 



insects and clings to them. The D. rotundifolia is commonly foimd in our 

 northern bogs. The Drosophyllum lusilanicum is found on the sandy hills of 

 Portugal. The Venus fly-trap (Dionaea muscipula) of the Carolinas grows 

 on the sandy barrens and feeds on insects. These plants are somewhat rare. 



Poisonous properties. According to Dr. Schaffner, the common sundew 

 is poisonous to cattle. From one species of Drosera two pigments have been 

 isolated, the red having the formula C^j^H^Og and the yellow, Cj^HjO^. 

 Plants of the family in Australia are said to be poisonous to sheep. 



According to Greshoff the leaves of Drosera binata contain hydrocyanic 

 acid. D. rotundifolia, and D. intermedia, were also found to contain a little 

 HCN. The leaves of Dionaea muscipula contain the same substance. 



ROSALES 



Herbs, shrubs or trees ; flowers usually polypetalous ; stamens mostly peri- 

 gynous or epigynous ; sepals chiefly united or confluent with receptacle ; carpels 1 

 or more, distinct or sometimes united into a compound ovary. The order in- 

 cludes the families Podostemonaceae, Crassulaceae, Cephalotaceae, Saxifragaceae, 

 Pittosporaceae, Hamamelidaceae, Platanaceae, Rosaceae, Connaraceae, Legu- 

 minosae and other small families. The family Saxifragaceae includes the red 

 currant (Ribes vulgare), black currant (R. nigrum), the Missouri currant, 



