522 COMPOSITvE — BRUNONIACE^ — GOODENIACE^. 



form of extract, has been used medicinally as a diuretic and alterative. 

 It contains a bitter crystalline principle called Taraxacine. Its root is 

 mixed with Coffee in the same way as Chicory. The inspissated juice 

 of Lactuca sativa, common Lettuce, and of L. virosa, wUd or strong- 

 scented Lettuce, receives the name of Lactucarium, or Lettuce-opium, 

 and is used medicinally for allaying pain and inducing sleep. It con- 

 tains a neutral active principle called Lactucin. Other species of Lac- 

 tuca yield an inspissated juice having similar qualities. Scorzonera is 

 the esculent root of Scomonera liispanica, while Salsafy is the root of 

 Tragopogon porrifoUus, which is called the Oyster-plant in America. 

 Many of the plants of the Cichoraceous section, such as Hieradum, 

 Sonchus, and Tragopogon, act as horological and meteorological flowers 

 (pp. 262, 263), their capitula opening and closing at certain periods of 

 the day, and in different states of the weather. 



Order 99. — Beunoniace^, the Brunonia Family. (Monopet. Pe- 

 rigyn) Calyx persistent, 5-partite, with bracts at the base. Corolla 

 inserted at the base of the calyx, monopetalous, nearly regular, wither- 

 ing ; limb 5-parted, having central veins in its segments, which divide 

 at the top into two recurrent marginal veins ; aestivation valvate. 

 Stamens 5, inserted with, but free from, the corolla, alternating with 

 its segments ; anthers articulated with the short filaments, dithecal, 

 introrse, dehiscing longitudinally. Ovary free, unilocular ; ovule soli^ 

 tary, erect, anatropal ; style single ; stigma enclosed in a 2-valved cup 

 or indusium. Fruit a utricle, enclosed in the hardened calycine tube. 

 Seed solitary, erect, exalbuminous ; embryo straight ; cotyledons 

 fleshy, plano-convex ; radicle minute, inferior. — Stemless herbaceous 

 plants, with radical, exstipulate leaves, and capitate flowers, supported 

 on scapes, and surrounded by an involucre of enlarged bracts. .Na- 

 tives of Australia. Their properties are unknown. The order con- 

 tains as yet only 1 genus and 2 species. Example — Brunonia. 



Order 100. — Goodeniace.S!, the Goodenia Family. {Monopet. 

 Epigyn. and Perigyn.) Calyx persistent, usually equal, with 3-5 

 divisions, sometimes obsolete. Corolla inserted into the calyx, mono- 

 petalous, more or less irregular, marcescent or deciduous ; its tube 

 split at the back, and sometimes separable into five pieces, when the 

 calyx only coheres with the base of the ovary ; its limb 5-partite, uni- 

 or bUabiate, the thin part of the segments being at the edges, which 

 are folded inwards in aestivation. Stamens 5, distinct, inserted with, 

 but free from, the corolla, and alternate with its segments ; anthers 

 not articulated with the filaments, distinct or cohering, bilocular, with 

 longitudinal dehiscence ; pollen-grains either separate or united in 

 fours. Ovary more or less united to the calycine tube, 1-2- or 4- 

 celled, sometimes with a gland at its base ; ovules definite or 00, 

 attached to a central, often free, placenta ; style 1, simple, rarely 

 divided ; stigma fleshy, undivided or 2-lobed, surrounded by a cup- 



