P0LYGALEJ3. 27 



An acrid principle exists in Drosera ; and according to Descoiirtilz one species of this 

 genus is applied as a blister in the West Indies. 



1. DROSERA, L. 



Calyx (4)-B-(8)-partite. Peto?« marceseent, (4)-B-(8). Stamens of the same number : 

 anthers extrorse. Ovary unilocular, with 3-5 parietal placentas ; ovules several or indefinite. 



Sect. RossoLls. — Stamens 5. Style tripartite, divisions bipartite. Stem simple, rolled 

 up during development, usually leafless, rosulate at the base ; leaves bearing scariose 

 stipules in the axils. 



^ 1. D. lomgifolia, Sm. Stems glabrous, lateral, ascending ; leaves all rosulate, spathu- 

 late, shorter than the petiole ; fringes equalling the diameter of the limb ; flowers several 

 (3-12) ; calyx glabrous, exceeded by the capsule ; seeds spathulate-oblong : testa appressed, 

 pimpled. — ^D. intermedia, Hayn. 



0. americana, DC. Stems slender (5''-6" long), much exceeding the leaves ; pedicels ' 

 distant, filiform, equalling the capsule. — ^D. americana, W. D. intermedia, var. elatior, C 

 Flaneh. — Hab. Trinidad I, Cr. ; [the variety inhabits eastern America, from Canada to 

 South Brazil; o. is known to be Eui'opean]. 



2. D. tenella, KtA. Stem glabrous, 2-3-fiowered ; leaves aU rosular, roundish, as long 

 as the petiole : fringes shorter than the diameter of the limb ; stipules 3-5-partite, segments 

 2-3-tid; seeds oblong, pimpled. — Kth. Nov. Gen. 5. t. 490. y. 2. — Stem about 3" high, 

 slender ; leaves minute, fringed on the margin and upper side.— Hab. Trinidad !, Lockh. ; 

 [Venezuela to extra-tropical Brazil !]. 



XVIII. POLTGALE^. 



Mowers asymmetrical : the two outer whorls arranged in a quinary, the third and usually 



the fourth in a binary-mrder. Stamens hypogynous, definite, mostly diadelphons ; anthers 



dehiscent by pores. PiHil syncarpous, bilocular, rarely reduced and monocarpeHary : ovules 



pendidous, 1 (-2) : inner mtegument fleshy. Embryo included in the axis of a thin layer of 



ii^-^SHsperm, or exalbnminous ; cotyledons foliaceous. — Leaves entire, without stipules. 



Saponin is the prevailing principle of the Order, usually together with a bitter substance, 

 which is highly esteemed in medicine. Catocoma is used against syphilis in Trinidad (Cr.). 

 The anomalous genus Krameria is peculiarly rich in Tannic Acid {Ratanhia). 



1. POLYGALA, L. 

 Sepals 5, the two lateral ones larger, coloured (wings). Petals 3 by abortion, partly 

 coherent : the anterior (keel) difform. Stamens diadelphous, 8 (-6), adherent to the corolla : 

 anthers unilocular, dehiscent by a terminal pore. Capsule compressed, bilocular, loculicide_ : 

 seeds caruucled, albuminous. — Herbs or shrubs ; flowers mostly racemose or spicate : pedi- 

 cels usually articulated and trihracteolate at or near the base. 



Sect. 1. TiMUTUA. — Keel cristate. Upper lip of stigma cueullate, bearded at the in- 

 curved top. Caruncle bipartite, with the segments appressed to the testa, or minute. 



1. v. "SiiaoxLtOM, Auil. Annual; glabrescent; leaves e\&i^C3i.-ob\on%, inferior verti- 

 cillate ; flowers spicate: spikes terminal, cylindrical, compact; style slender, dilated up- 

 wards ; upper lip of stigma large, cueullate, under lip short, cylindrical; capsule ovate, 

 shortly emarginate ; seeds oblong, shortly tapering at the base, puberulous, black : segments 

 of the caruncle white, unilateral, oblong-linear, blunt, shortly exceeded by the extremity of 

 the testa.— Jubl. <. 295 .— Stem slender, spithameous or dwarfish, augulai? ; leaves 8"'-4 long, 

 subsessile, pointed or bluntish, inferior 2-4 in the whorl; flowers purpurascent, sessUe : 

 wings ovate, equalling the corolla; petals coherent to the middle.— Hab. Trinidad I, on the 

 savannahs: Pd., Cr.; [Guiana 1, Piauhyl]. 



^ 3. P. longicaulis, Xtt. Annual; glabrous; leaves linear, scattered; racemes ter- 

 minal, capituliform: pedicels equalling the inferior glanduliferous sepals; wmgs mu- 

 cronate; petals cohering above the middle; style slender, dHated upwards: upper lip ot 



