so 



Ei)C CrraslurB at Matting. 



[alli 



to be considered a section, as it only differs 

 by having the four small nuts which form 

 the fruit contracted at the base. In habit 

 it is, however, more like Anchusa, but the 

 absence of scales closing the throat of the 

 corolla, and the nuts not excavated at the 

 base, are distinctive characters. The spe- 

 cies are hispid or pubescent herbs, with 

 oblong entire leaves and bracteated 

 racemes, rolled up before the flowers 

 expand. The corolla is rather small, be- 

 tween funnel and salver-shaped; usually 

 purplish blue, but in some species yellow 

 or whitish ; the calyx enlarges in fruit. 

 The root, which is often very large in pro- 

 portion to the size of the plant, yields a 

 red dye from the rind in many of the 

 species. Alkanet, (A. tinctoria, Anchusa 

 tinctoria of some authors, andLWiospermum 

 tinctorium of others') is cultivated in Cen- 

 tral and Southern Europe on account of 

 this dye, which is readily extracted by oils 

 and spirit of wine. It is employed in 

 pharmacy to give a red colour to salves, 

 &c, and in staining wood in imitation of 

 rosewood,which is done by rubbing with oil 

 in which the Alkanet root has been soaked. 

 About eight or ten tons are annually 

 imported from France and Germany. It is 

 also said to be used in colouring some of 

 the mixtures called by courtesy port wine ; 

 so it is to be feared that the whole quan- 

 tity grown may not be applied to the 

 legitimate purposes first mentioned. It is, 

 however, perfectly harmless, which is so 

 far satisfactory. [J. T. S.] 



ALKE'KENGE. (Fr.) Cardiospermum Ha- 

 licacabum. — JAUNE DOUCE. Phy salts 

 pubescens. 



ALKEKENGI. The common Winter 

 Cherry, Phy salts Alkekengi. 



ALLAMASDA. A genus of Apocynacece 

 consisting of handsome climbing shrubs, 

 found in Brazil and other parts of South 

 America. They are well known in gar- 

 dens, where they are prized for the gor- 

 geous profusion of their rich golden 

 flowers. The peculiarities of the genus 

 reside in a small five-parted calyx ; a large 

 funnel-shaped corolla, having the tube 

 narrow and cylindrical, the limb cam- 

 panulate, and then spreading out into five 

 obtuse lobes, the throat bearing five 

 ciliated scales ; five included stamens in- 

 serted in the throat, and a one-celled 

 compressed ovary, containing numerous 

 ovules. There are several species. A. 

 Aubletii, one of the commonest found in 

 Guiana, is a -shrub with long trailing 

 branches,bearing whorls of oblong-lanceo- 

 late leaves, and terminal or interpetiolar 

 many-flowered panicles of large, showy, 

 rich yellow flowers, of which the tube is 

 an inch long or more ; and the limb forms 

 an irregular bell, about two inches long. 

 Another still finer species, of similar 

 habit, A. Schottii, a native of Brazil, has 

 larger flowers, which are of a full yellow, 

 funnel-formed, the lower half, or rather 

 less, forming a narrow contracted tube, 

 thence suddenly expanding into a cam- 



panulate faux (throat), of a deeper yellow 

 inside ; the limb of five rotundate spread- 

 ing segments, often with a tooth or angle 

 on one side. A. neriifolia, another Brazilian 

 species, has a more compact shrubby 

 habit of growth, broader, more oblong 

 leaves, and a panicle of many flowers, 

 which are really terminal, but by and by 

 become lateral, from innovations, or young 

 shoots, which grow past them and termi- 

 nate also in clusters of flowers. The 

 flowers of this species have a shorter tube 

 and a longer faux or throat, and are deep 

 yellow, streaked with orange. Though 

 generally producing yellow flowers, the 

 family yields, in the A. violacea described 

 by Dr. Gardner, a species with flowers of a 

 reddish-violet colour. The genus has, 

 moreover, a medicinal reputation ; the 

 leaves of A. cathartica (perhaps not dif- 

 ferent from A. Aubletii, already mentioned) 

 being considered a valuable cathartic in 

 moderate doses, especially in the cure of 

 painters' colic, though in over-doses it is 

 said to be violently emetic and purgative. 

 An infusion of the leaves is used in 

 Surinam as a remedy for colic. [T. MJ 



ALLANTODIA. A genus of polypo- 

 diaceous ferns, belonging to the As- 

 pleniecB, among which they are distin- 

 guished by having the indusia simple and 

 distinct ; the veins of the frond reticu- 

 lated, with free veinlets at the margin ; 

 and a vaulted or convex indusium. As 

 thus defined, it includes one Indian spe- 

 cies, A. Brunoniana, with pinnated fronds 

 of large size. With this are sometimes 

 associated various free-veined species, 

 with short tumid sori, which are not dis- 

 tinct from Asplenium. [T. MJ 



ALLELUIA. (Fr.) Oxalis Acetosella. 



ALL-GOOD. An old English name for 

 Chenopodium Bonus Eenricus. 



ALL-HEAL. Valeriana officinalis. — , 

 CLOWN'S. Stachys palustris. 



ALLIACEOUS. Having the smell of 

 garlic. 



ALLIAIRE. (Fr.) Sisymbrium Alliaria, 

 often called Erysimum Alliaria, or Al- 

 liaria officinalis. 



ALLIEZ. Ervum Ervilia. 



ALLIGATOR WOOD. The timber of 

 Guarea grandifolia. 



ALLIONIA. A name given in honor of 

 Charles Allioni, an Italian botanist, and 

 applied to a genus of plants of the order 

 Xi/cfaginacece. Some of them are cultivated 

 as annuals in this country, though natives 

 of central America. They are characterised 

 by their flowers being placed within athree- 

 or four-parted involucre ; four free stamens 

 arising from below the ovary, and included 

 within the perianth, not projecting from 

 it. The ovary is superior. [M. T. MJ 



ALLIUM. A genus of bulbous plants of 

 the lily family, remarkable for their pun- 

 gent odour, having grassy or fistular 



