PHYTOLACCACEiE. 



535 



tinct or partially combined ; each containing 1 ascending ovule, either amphitropal or 

 campylotropal; styles and stigmas equal in number to the carpels. Fruit baccate or dry, 

 indehiscent. Seeds solitary, ascending, with a cylindrical embryo, curved round mealy 

 albumen ; radicle next the hilum. 



These are all under : shrubs or herbs, with alternate, entire, exstipulate 

 leaves, often with pellucid dots. The flowers are racemose, regular, or irre- 

 gular, and variously arranged. They are natives of both Americas, Africa, 

 and India. Their general character is acridity. 



Phytolacca. — Tournefort. 



Calyx 5-parted, coloured, permanent. Stamens and styles 10 or more. Fruit de- 

 pressed, furrowed ; 10- or more celled, covered with a succulent pulp. Seeds solitary. 



A small genus, mostly peculiar to America, but few species being found in 

 other parts of the world. 



P. decandra, Linn. — Leaves acute at each end; flowers with 10 stamens and 10 

 styles. 



Linn., Suppl. 631 ; Bigelow, Med. Bot. 1, t. 3 ; Barton, Teg. Mat. Med., 

 ii. 213; Lindley, Med. Flar. 351. 



Common Names. — Poke- weed ,* Jalap ; Garget ; Cocum, &c. 



Description. — Root very 

 large, mostly branched, 

 fleshy ; stems annual, from 

 six to eight feet high, 

 round, smooth, much 

 branched, green when 

 young, but becoming pur- 

 plish as the plant advances 

 in age. Leaves scattered, 

 petiolate, ovate-oblong, 

 smooth on both sides, 

 entire, acute at each end. 

 Flowers on long pedun- 

 culated racemes, opposite 

 to the leaves. Peduncles 

 nearly smooth, angular, 

 ascending. Pedicels 



divaricate, sometimes 



branched, green, white, 

 or purple, having a linear 

 bract at base, and two 

 others at the middle. 

 Calyx greenish-white, 

 consisting of 5 round- 

 ovate, concave, incurved 

 sepals. Stamens 10, some- 

 what shorter than the 

 sepals, whitish, rounded, 

 with 2-lobed anthers. 

 Ovary round, depressed, 

 10-furrowed. Styles 10, 

 short and recurved. Ber- 

 ries in long clusters, dark 

 purple, depressed, marked with 10 furrows on the sides, 



Fig. 230. 



P. decandra. 



