XXIV. VOCHYSIACBiE. 



251 



pairs opposite to the petals, the filaments are free, the anthers extrorse, the hairs stellate and glandular ; 

 but, nevertheless, Tremandrem may he considered as regular-flowered Polyyahce, &c. 



TetrcUheca procumbens, 

 Flower. 



Teli'atheca. 

 Pollen grains (mag.). 



Teh'atheca. 



Vertical section of pisfcil 



(mag.). 



Telraiheca, 

 Stamen (mag.). 



2'etra/heca. 



Seed cut vertically 



(mag.). 



Polygah, the type of the family, is dispersed over all 

 the globe, though least frequent in extrar-tropical South 

 America. The other genera are distributed over the 

 tropical and warm southern temperate zones. 



Polyr/alea contain a bitter principle -which gives them 

 Tetvatheca wrttciUaia. *°"^'' '"'"'^ astringent properties ; this is often accompanied 



by an acrid principle, named senegine, which renders some 

 species emetic. The root of P. Senega is used in Europe on account of its stimulating action on the 

 pulmonary mucous membrane_; the natives of Virginia use it as an antidote to snake-bites, as do the 

 South Africans the P. Serpentaria. The European Polygalas are still prescribed for lung diseases. 

 Badiera diversifolia, a shrub of the Antilles, is a sudorific analogous to guaiacum. The bark of the root 

 of Monnina polystachya is employed in Peru as an astringent and antidysenteric ; the ladies of that country 

 also use it in smoothing their hair. The drupe of the South African Mundtia spinosa is eatable. The 

 root of Krameria triandra possesses astringent and tonic properties, due to its containing much tannin. 



XXIV. VOCHYSIACE^^} 



Trees, often gigantic, with copious resinous juice, rarelj' erect or sarmentose 

 (Trigorda), or climbing sheubs. Branches usually opposite or whorled. Leaves 

 opposite or whorled (alternate in Lightia), shortly petioled, coriaceous, quite entire; 

 stipules small or 0, or reduced to glands. Inplokesoence various, often racemed or 

 panicled. Flowers irregular, ? , often large, pedicels jointed and bracteate. 

 Sepals 5, free or connate at the base, or rarely adnate to the ovary, 2 outer often 



' This order is omitted in the original. — "Ed. 



