PEDALIACEiE. 515 



properties, but is more powerful. Rosmarinus officinalis is principally 

 employed as a perfume ; it is said to encourage the growth and vigour of 

 the hair, and it is stated an infusion of it will prevent it from uncurling 

 in damp weather. Amaracus dictamnus is the celebrated Dittany of Crete, 

 in so much repute among the ancients as a vulnerary. Leonurus carcliaca 

 is a supposed tonic, and has been said to relieve palpitation of the heart; it 

 has also been extolled in Russia as a preservative against hydrophobia ; for 

 which purpose Scutellaria lateriflora obtained an undue reputation in this coun- 

 try, but it is more than probable that neither has any efficacy in this malady. 

 Stachys betonica when powdered, causes sneezing, from the fine rigid hairs 

 with which it is covered. The root is said to be purgative and emetic. 



Group XXXII. — Bignoniales. 



Order 79.— PEDALIACE^.— Lindley. 



Calyx formed of 5 nearly equal pieces. Corolla monopetalous, irregular ; the throat 

 ventricose ; the limb bilabiate. Lobes somewhat valvate in aestivation. Disk hypogynous, 

 fleshy, sometimes glandular. Stamens didynamous, included, with the rudiment of a 

 fifth. Anthers 2-celled ; the connective articulated with the filament, somewhat pro- 

 longed beyond the cells, terminated by a gland. Ovary on a glandular disk, 1 -celled, 

 sometimes divided into 4 or 6 spurious cells, by the splitting of two placentas, and the 

 divergence of their lobes. Ovules anatropal, erect or pendulous, or horizontal, solitary, 

 or 2 or several. Style 1. Stigma divided. Fruit drupaceous or capsular, valvular or 

 indehiscent, 2 — 6-celled ; usually few-seeded when numerous, or many-seeded when two. 

 Seeds wingless, exalbuminous. Embryo straight. 



Herbaceous plants usually with a heavy smell, covered with glandular 

 hairs, or with vesicles. Leaves opposite or alternate, undivided and ex- 

 stipulate. They are principally natives of the tropics. Many of them have 

 mucilaginous leaves, and oily seeds. 



Sesamum. — Linn. 



Calyx 5-parted, persistent ; upper lobe the smallest. Tube of the corolla large, limb 

 plicate, somewhat bilabiate ; upper lobe emarginate, lower slightly trifid. Stamens 4, 

 didynamous, with the rudiment of a fifth. Anthers ovate-oblong. Stigma bi-lamellate. 

 Capsule oblong, obtusely 4-angled, 4-grooved, 2-celled, 2-valved, valves recurved. Seeds 

 numerous, thick, apterous. 



A small genus of East Indian herbaceous plants, with opposite, petiolate 

 leaves, entire, or the lower ones tri-lobed. Flowers axillary, on short, glan- 

 dular pedicels. The seeds are oily and edible. 



S. indicum, De Candolle. — Stem erect, pubescent ; leaves ovate-oblong, or lanceolate ; 

 the lower ones trifid or tri-lobate. Capsule mucronate from the persistent style, pu- 

 bescent. 



De Candolle, PL rar. Genev. 18 ; Linn., (var.a.) Sp. PL 884 ,* Sims, (var. 

 b.) Bot. Mag. 1688; Linn., (S. orientalist Sp. PL 883. 



Common Names. — Sesamum ; Benne. 



This plant has been known from a very early period, and is noticed by 

 most of the ancient writers as in general use. It is a native of India, but is 

 now cultivated in many parts of Asia and Africa, and was introduced into 

 Carolina by the negroes, and is also extensively grown in many of the West 

 Indian islands. Both the seeds and the leaves are officinal. The first are 

 small, yellowish, or in some cases blackish, of a pleasant, mucilaginous taste, 



