CXVIII. RUBIACE^. 487 



Teibe XXI. PsTCHOTElE J!. — Stamens inserted on tlio tliroat of the corolla. Stigma entire 

 or style-arms short. Fruit indehiscent. PsijcJiotria, Palioourea, Bwdgea, DecUeiixia, Geophila, 

 Gephaelis, Lasianthus, Suteria, Saprosma, Psathi/ra, &c. 



Teibe XXII. P^deeie^. -^Stamens inserted on the throat or base of the corolla. Ovary 

 2-5-celled; style-arms filiform. Fruit capsular or of 2 cocci. Pcederia, Lygodisodea, HamiU 

 tonia, Lejptodermis, &c. 



Teibe XXIII. Anthospeemej:. — Flower usually unisexual. Stamens usually inserted at the 

 base of the corolla. Ovary 1-4-celled. Style entire, or arms filiform. Fruit a berry, or in- 

 dehiscent. Putoria, Oroayllis, Mitchella, Serissa, Coprosma, Anthospermum, Phyllis, Opercularia, 

 Pomax, &c. 



t t t Ovules attached to the septum, amphitropous. 



Teibe XXIV. Speemacoceje. — Herbs or small shrubs. Leaves usually opposite and stipules 

 setose. Triodon, Diodia, Gaillonia, Spermacoce, JEmmeorhiza, Mitracarpum, Piahardsonia, &c. 



Teibe XXV. Galie^;. — Herbs. Leaves and stipules similar, forming a whorl. Gallipeltis, 

 Vailla/rvtia, P/abia, Galium, Asperula, Grucianella, Sherardia, &c. — Ed.] 



We have indicated the affinity of Rahiacem with Cap-ifoliacece and Dipsacece (see these families). 

 The Subiacece with niany-ovuled cells are alUed to Loganiacece in all their characters, and are only dis- 

 tinguished by their epigyny. Oentianecs, Oleineee, and Apocynece also approach them, although hypo- 

 gynous, in the opposite leaves, sestivation, isostemonous corolla and the presence of alhumen. Some 

 Geineracecs also approach the section Coffeacece, as shown by their whorled or opposite leaves, the 

 development of their receptacular cupule, the varied nature of their fruit, and the presence of albumen; 

 but they are widely separated by the didynamous stamens, unilocular ovary and parietal placentation. 



Ruhiacem mostly inhabit intertropical regions ; [but Oaliea are almost exclusively temperate]. The 

 principal medicinal species of this family are exotic; and of these the most important are Quinine and 

 Ipecacuanha. The latter is the root of a little shrub, a species of Cephaelis, inhabiting the virgin forests 

 of Brazil; the bark of this root has an acrid taste and a nauseous smell; it contains an alkaloid (emetine), 

 but in practice the root is preferred to the alkaloid. This medicine is invaluable in dysentery, asthma, 

 whooping-cough, and especially puerperal fever. Quinine is yielded by the bark of several species of 

 Cinchona ; they are evergreen trees or shrubs, inhabiting the valleys of the Andes of Peru, at heights 

 varying from 4,000 to 11,000 feet above the level of the sea. The bark is bitter, and contains two 

 organic alkalis {quinine and cinchonine'), united to a special acid ; it contains, besides colouring matter, a 

 fatty matter, starch, gum, &c. The preparation of these vegetable alkalis is the most important service 

 that chemistry has rendered to medicine since the beginning of the nineteenth century, for without ex- 

 hausting the patient, enormous doses of quinine may be administered in a concentrated form, effecting the 

 most difficult cures. Quinine is the most powerful specific in cases of intermittent fevers (of which 

 marsh miasma is the most common cause) ; acting, not by neutralizing the miasma as a counter-poison 

 would do, but by strengthening the system, and thus enabling it to resist the incessant attacks of the 

 morbific cause. Besides its virtues as a febrifuge, quinine is a first-class tonic in hastening convalescence, 

 and restoring the digestive functions. Lastly, Cinchona bark is used outwardly as an antiseptic to arrest 

 the progress of gangrene ; its antiseptic properties are however not due to its febrifugal principle, but to 

 the astringent principles with which the bark abounds. 



The American genus Chionocca, like Cephaelis, belongs to the uniovulate section, some species of 

 which possess a root reputed valuable against snake-bites ; this root, known as cainga, is used in Europe 

 as a diuretic and purgative in cases of hydrophobia. 



Of all the RubiacecB of the Old World the Coffee is the most noticeable ; forming as it does, with 

 cotton and sugar, the staple of the maritime commerce of Europe. The Coffee is an evergreen shrub, a 

 native of Abyssinia, which was introduced three centuries ago into Arabia, towards the close of the 

 seventeenth century into Java, and finally naturalized in 1720 in the Antilles. The seed of the Coffee 

 yields, besides various oily, albuminous and gummy matters, a bitter principle containing an organic 

 crystallizable alkali named eaffein, associated with a peculiar acid. A slight roasting develops in this 



