XXXVIII. MELANTHACE^. 853 



[Tribe III. METHONIGEJE'. 



Perianth tubular or 6-partite. Stamens inserted on the base of the perianth- 

 segments or on its tube. Ovules anatropous ; stigmas 3. Fruit capsular. Seeds 

 turgid; testa thick or fleshy, white or red. Embryo straight. — Herbs, erect or with 

 climbing elongate stems. Root a fleshy lobed perennial tuber. Leaves alternate, 

 or in whorls of 3 or more, sessile, tips sometimes curled. Peduncles 1-flowered, 

 axillary or leaf-opposed or extra-axillary ; flowers yellow or red. 



GENERA. 

 Methonica (Gloriosa). Sandersonia. Littonia. 



A very distinct group, of doubtful affinity, upon the whole, I think, nearer 

 JJvularia, Tricyrtis, and other Melanthacece than LiUacece. The root is very peculiar, 

 and unlike that of LiUacece proper. MetJionicece are natives of eastern South Africa, 

 and one genus {Methonica) has species in tropical Africa and India : the root of the 

 latter is reputed to be a virulent poison.— Ed.] 



Melanthacece are in some respects near Juncece and especially LiUacece, but are separated from the 

 first by their petaloid perianth, and from both by the direction of the anthers ; they are distinguished 

 from LiUacece, tribe Asphodekce, by the nature of their testa. The tribe Colchicece is a very natural one ; 

 Veratrece contain several less closely allied genera. Some, in fact, are berried, and have an analogy 

 ■with Smilacece, in spite of the difference arising from the direction of the anthers ; on the other hand, 

 the genera with loculicidal capsules approach the tribe TuUpacece of LiUacece. The tribe of Vei-atrece, 

 characterized by its perianth with free very often clawed and nectariferous leaflets, is the nucleus of the 

 family. One-third of the species inhabit North America ; a second third belong to South Africa; the others 

 are dispersed over the north shores of Africa, in India, Australia, Central Asia, north alpine and sub-, 

 alpine Europe ; very few are met with in South America. Tofieldia inhabits Europe, North America 

 [the Himalayas] and New Granada. Pleea is met with in one of. the Antilles. Some species of Uviilaria 

 grow in the New World, others in India, China and Japan. Tricyrtis is Asiatic. Veratrum belongs 

 to both worlds. Cokhicum inhabits Central Europe and the Mediterranean and Caucasian regions. Bur- 

 chardia, Anguillaria, Schelhammera, Kreysiyia are Australian. 



Melanthacece occupy an important place among medicinal plants; they are acrid, drastic, emetic, and 

 their employment demands the greatest caution; they are principally recommended in gouty and rheu- 

 matic affections ; their properties depend on various alkaloids (veratrine, colchicine, saladilline), which 

 modern chemists have separated. The officinal species are : — the White Hellebore ( Veratrum album), a 

 native of the alpine and sub-alpine districts of Europe ; its root, which is a violent drastic and emetic, 

 and dangerous even to powder, is now scarcely used, except externally in cutaneous diseases, and to kill 

 vermin. V. nigrum, which is collected iu forest clearances and mountain pastures in Central and South 

 Europe, possesses similar but less powerful properties. V. viride is similarly used by the Anglo- 

 Americans. The Cevadille, or Sabadilla, inhabits Mexico ; its capsules and seeds alone are brought to 

 Europe : they were for a long time attributed to V. Sabadilla, a Chinese species, and later to several 

 species of Sehcenocaulon (S. officinale, caricifolium, &c.) ; they are now known to be produced by Asa- 

 gray a officmalis [a plant ailso found in Caraccas]. They are used externally in a powder or liniment to 

 remove vermin ; inwardly as pills, injections, or infusions, as a vermifuge. Colchicum autzimnale is 

 common in meadows throughout Europe; its flowers, which spring from an underground bulb, like those 

 of the Crocus, appear in autumn; the leaves are developed in the following spring, and the fruit along 

 with them. The bulb, flowers and seed are all used medicinally. 



The tuber of Hermodacte, prescribed from the sixth century by Greek doctors, and later by the 

 Arabians, in the treatment of arthritic affections, has now nearly fallen into disuse ; its origin was long 



