FUMARIACEiE. 39 



Isatis. L. 14. 1. 

 /. tinctoria. L. Woad, so valuable for its blue coloring 

 matter ; is supposed to be little cultivated in this State. The 

 leaves at the root are crenate, on the stem arrow-form. Named 

 from the Greek, to render equal, from its supposed power to 

 smooth the roughness of the skin. Used to color the skin of the 

 ancient Britons and Picts, from which they were named. Loudon. 



Hesperis. L. 14. 2. 

 H. matronalis. L. Garden Rocket. A fine plant in the 

 gardens, and, when its flowers become double, it is thought quite 

 handsome ; a native of Lake Huron, and sometimes called 

 Dame's Violet. 



H. tristis. L. Yellow Rocket, is less cultivated than the 

 other ; stem hispid and branched ; flowers handsome. 



The genus is named from the Greek for evening, as the flowers 

 are then more fragrant. Loudon. 



ORDER 10. FUMARIACEJE. Fumitory Tribe. 



Two deciduous sepals ; 4 cruciate petals, sometimes so united 

 as to appear one, or only 2 united, cohering at the apex, and 

 inclosing the anthers and stigma ; stamens 6, often in 2 sets, 

 rarely separate ; ovarium superior, and one-celled ; leaves much- 

 divided, often having tendrils, commonly alternate ; herbaceous. 



The plants have not much odor, but a watery and not milky 

 juice, and are said to be diaphoretic and aperient ; but they are 

 not used for these properties. Only a few genera, and not numer- 

 ous species, belong to this order, and these are scattered over the 

 northern temperate zone. 



The fecundation of the Fumariaceae shows special contrivance. 

 While the anthers are confined by the corolla, and the pollen seems 

 unable to reach the style, the stigma projects two blunt horns, 

 one of which passes to each of the two sets of anthers, so as to 

 secure the pollen as it exudes from the anther, or is forced out by 

 the contractions of the anther. 



