442 TEEMANDKACEiE — TAMAEICACEjE. 



Hypog.) Sepals 5j very irregular, distinct ; 3 exterior, of which 1 is 

 superior, and 2 inferior ; 2 interior, usually petaloid, lateral ; estiva- 

 tion imbricated. Petals hypogynous, unequal, usually 3, of which 

 1 is anterior, and larger than the rest, and 2 are alternate with the 

 upper and lateral sepals ; sometimes there are 5 petals, 2 of them very 

 minute ; the anterior petal, called the keel, is often crested. Stamens 

 hypogynous, 8, monadelphous or diadelphous ; anthers clavate, usually 

 1 -celled, and having porous dehiscence. Ovary mostly bilocular ; 

 ovules solitary, rarely 2 ; style simple, curved ; stigma simple. Fruit 

 dehiscing in a loculioidal manner, or indehiscent. Seeds pendulous, 

 anatropal, strophiolate at the hilum ; albumen fleshy, embryo straight. 

 — Shrubs or herbs with alternate or opposite exstipulate leaves. 

 They are found in all quarters of the globe. Authors mention 15 

 genera, including 400 species. Examples — Polygala, Securidaoa, 

 Krameria. 



In the appearance of their flowers the plants of this order have a 

 resemblance to Papilionacese. They are distinguished, however, by 

 the odd petal being inferior, and the sepal superior. They are gene- 

 rally bitter, and their roots yield a milky juice. Polygala Senega, 

 Senega or Seneka root, called also Snake-root, is a North American 

 species, the root of which is used medicinally, in large doses, as emetic 

 and cathartic ; and in small doses as a stimulant, sudorific, expec- 

 torant, and sialagogue. It contains an acrid principle called senegin, 

 and polygalic acid. The name of Snake-root was given from its sup- 

 posed use as an antidote to the bite of the rattlesnake. Krameria 

 triandra, a Peruvian plant, furnishes Khatany-root, which is employed 

 as a powerful and pure astringent in cases of haemorrhage and chronic 

 mucous discharges. Its infusion is of ^ blood-red colour, and has been 

 employed to adulterate port wine. A Chilian plant, Krameria cistoidea, 

 also yields a kind of rhatany. 



Order 20.- — TEBinANDEAOEiE, the Porewort Family. (Polypet. 

 Hypog.) Sepals 4-5, slightly coherent, deciduous, with a valvate 

 aestivation. Petals 4-5, deciduous, with an involute aestivation. 

 Stamens hypogynous, distinct, 8-10, 2 before each petal; anther di- 

 or tetrarthecal, with porous dehiscence (fig. 356, p. 222). Ovary bilocu- 

 lar, with 1-3 pendulous ovules in each cell ; style, 1 ; stigmas, 1-2. Fruit 

 a 2-celled, 2-valved capsule, with loculicidal dehiscence. Seeds ana- 

 tropal, pendulous, with a caruncula at the apex ; embryo cylindrical, 

 straight, in the axis of fleshy albumen. — Heath-like shrubs, with 

 hairs usually glandular, alternate or verticillate exstipulate leaves, 

 and solitary axillary 1-flowered pedicels. They are natives of extra- 

 tropical Australia. Nothing is known regarding their properties. 

 Authors mention 3 genera, including 24 species. Examples — Tetra- 

 theca, Tremandra. 



Order 21. — Tamaeicaceje, the Tamarisk Family. {Polypet. 



