The Natural System of Botany. 327 



pects and qualities. The leaves are opposite, or in whorls, 

 and are furnished with stipules. The calyx is often partly 

 united to the ovary, and four or five-toothed. The stamens 

 are as many as the lobes of the corolla, and alternate with 

 them. The fruit is usually a berry, but sometimes a hard 

 capsule, or a drupe. The order is divided into the sub-orders 

 Stellatjb, which axe all herbs, with whorled leaves, as Ga- 

 lium, and Rubia, or Madder; and Cinohone^:, which are 

 trees, shrubs, and herbs, having opposite leaves, with stipules. 

 To the latter division belong some important plants. 



Peruvian Bark, or Cinchona, and Ipecac, are furnished by 

 southern species. Coffee is the horny seed of another species, 

 CofFsea Arabica. The Button Bush (Cephalanthus), Mitchella, 

 and Hedyotis, are the principal northern genera. 



Order — Valerianace.*!. The Valerian Tribe. 



A small order of herbs, having the flowers usually in cymes 

 or panicles ; a two or four-toothed calyx ; a tubular or funnel- 

 form corolla ; an ovary with two abortive cells, and one perfect 

 one. The principal productions of the order are Valerian, 

 furnished by Valeriana officinalis ; and the Spikenard of the 

 ancients, which is the root of Nardostachys Jatamansi. 



Order — Dipsace^:. The Teasel Tribe. 



The leaves of these have no stipules. The flowers are in 

 dense heads, surrounded with an involucre. The corolla is 

 tubular, the calyx cup-shaped, or forming a pappus. Stamens 

 four ; ovary one-celled. Teasels are the dried heads of Dip- 

 sacus Fullonum. Several species of Scabiosa are often culti- 

 vated. None of the order are natives of America. 



Order — ComposiTje. The Composite Tribe. 



This is the largest and most natural of all the orders. It 

 comprises nearly one-tenth of all flowering plants. To give 

 anything like an idea of its species, their uses, products, and 

 peculiarities, would require a volume. The characters of the 



