.NYCTAGINE^. 69 



Sect. 2. 'Evama^/lS-ivs.— Pericarp cirmmscusile at tie middle. Flowers polygamous. 

 25. A. tristis, L. Glabrous ; leaves rhomboid-ovate, blunt, and usually retuse ; clusters 

 panicled, greenish : superior spikes cylindrical, contiguous,, flexuose, inferior interrupted at 

 the base or reduced to axillary clusters ; sefals 5, oblong, mucronate, pale, with a green keel, 

 nearly eqimlling the spinescent bracts and the pericarp.— Fi'to. Amar. t. 5. /. 10 ■ Wight 

 Ic. t. 514, 713.— Hab. Jamaica!, Bist., to Trinidad!, Schack; [Chili!]. 

 ^^ 26. A. paniculatus, L. Pubescent ; leaves ovate or rhomboid<-oblong ; clusters pa- ., 

 •nicled, pnrpurascent, red, or greenish: spikes cylindrical, crowded, spreading; sepals 5, ob- '' 

 long, mucronate, nearlg half the length of the spinescent tracts; pericarp exceeding the { 

 calyx. — Willd. Amar. t. i.f 3, 4. — A. sanguineus, i.— Hab. Bahamas (Linn., Mart.); 

 [Guiana ! and all tropical countries], 



XXIV. NYCTAGINE^. 



Flowers apetalous. Calyx coroUine : base persistent, and at length including the fruit. - 

 Stamens hypogynous. Ovary unilocular: ovule solitary, basilar; style simple. Embryo 

 exceutrical : perisperm centr^, mealy. — Leaves entire,*mostly opposite : the pair unequal, 

 and the nodes tumid. 



Drastic properties are general in this Order: consequently Mirabilis and Boerhaavia 

 yield drugs used in Colonial medicine. 



1. MIRABILXS. i 



Calyx infundibuliform or tubular, encircled by a 5-lobed involucre, which is single-flowered. 

 Stamens 5. Embryo incurved. — Perennial herbs. 



1. M. Jalappa, L. Glabrescent; leaves ovate or subcordate, pointleted; termina- 

 flowers fascicled; 6alyi-tube much exceeding the involucre: Umb spreading, 5-lobed. — Desc. . 

 Fl. 2. t. 139. — M. dichotoma, Besc. (an L. ?). — I have no particular knowledge of the West Qj 

 Indian forms in this genus, and am not aware of any positive character for M. dichotoma, 

 L. — Hab. Jamaica (SI., Lun.), Caribbean Islands, common; [Mexico, Guiana]. 



2. BOEKHAAVIA, L. 



Calyx constricted above the persistent tube: Umb shortly 5-lobed. Stamens 1-3 (-4). 

 Pericarp perfectly enclosed by the indurated calyx-tube, which at length is closed at the top. 

 Embryo conduplioated.— Perennial ar snffrutescent herbs : Aowaafascicled or umbellate, with 

 minute bracts. 



/ 2. B. erecta, L. Ascending, glabrous ; leaves ovate or ovate-lanceolate, pointed, whi- ^ 

 tish beneath ; fascicles arranged in a strict, narrow panicle ; calyx-tube at length clavate, ^ 

 angular, truncate, and bluntly mucronate at the top, glabrous, 5-costate, with prominent ribs. C 

 — Jacq. Ht. Find. l.t.&, 6. — Flowers pale-red. — Hab. Jamaica !, Bancr., M'Nab ; Caribbean ' 

 Islands ; [Georgia I, Florida !, Mexico, Galapagos Islands !] . 



3. B. paniculata, Rich. Ascending, glabrous ; leaves ovate, rounded at the top, sub- ^ 

 ciliate, usually whitish beneath ; fascicles arranged in an elongated, spreading panicle ; pe- C 

 duncles lax, filiform ; calyx-tube at length clavate, angular, rounded at the top, 5-costate, 

 with delicate, glandular ribs. — Plulcn. Ahnag. t. 226. /. 7. — B. diffusa, Sw., Lun. — Flowers 

 red. — Hab. Jamaica!, Macf., Wils., in cane-fields; Dominica!, Bai-badoes, Trinidad!, Sieb. 

 Trin. 88 ; [Texas !, Panama!, Galapagos Islands !; Cape Verde Islands !]. 



4. B. hirsuta, W. Ascending, pubescent ; leaves ovate, rounded, subsinuate, concolor 



or somewhat whitish beneath ; fascicles arranged in short, spreading panicles, or axiUaiy, £ 

 , corymbose and simple, stalked; calyx-tube at length clavate-eylindrical, rounded at the ^ 

 top, costate with ribs which are densely glandular.-— tTacy. Obs. t: 84; Jacq. Ht. Find. 1. / 

 t. 7. — B. caribsea, Jacq. — Flowers blood-red. — Hab. Jamaica!, Macf, Ak, March; An- 

 tigua!, S. Vincent!, Gfuild.; [Texas! to Guiana!, Galapagos Islands!]. 



5. B. scandens, L. Suliruticose, divaricate, trailing, glabrous ; leaves cordate-round- 



