BOTANY. 123 
imbricate or combined with valvate. Corolla hypogynous, with the limb 
four- or five-fid, the division similarly valvate or imbricated. Stamens 
inserted on the’ tube of the corolla, equal and alternate, or reduced to one. 
Anthers introrse, bilocular, opening longitudinally. Ovary free, of two 
cells, sometimes subdivided, each into two others, by the reflexion of their 
walls, each inclosing one or more ovules fixed at the internal angle, 
ascending, or more frequently peltate. Style simple, terminated by an 
undivided, or more rarely, bilobed stigma. Fruit fleshy or capsular, with 
septicidal dehiscence, rarely septifragal. Seeds often winged or peltate, 
presenting in the axis of a fleshy or cartilaginous perisperm, an embryo 
with plano-convex, or foliaceous cotyledons, the cylindrical radicle turned 
towards the hilum, or parallel to it. Species almost entirely tropical. 
“Trees or shrubs, rarely herbs, distinguished from the Apocyanez by their 
watery juice, and the stipules which usually unite the petioles of the 
opposite and simple leaves. Flowers solitary in the axils of these leaves, or 
grouped in corymbs, in axillary or terminal panicles. 
Sub-order 1. Strychnee. Aistivation of corolla valvate; fruit, a two- or 
three-celled berry or capsule, seeds peltate, embryo rather large. Examples: 
Strychnos, Curare, &c. : 
Sub-order 2. Loganiee. stivation of corolla convolute; fruit a 
bilocular capsule or nuculanium, seeds peltate, sometimes winged. 
Examples: Logania, Gelsemium. 
Sub-order 3. Spigeliee. stivation of corolla valvate ; fruit a didymous 
capsule, seeds apterous, embryo small, cotyledons inconspicuous. Examples: 
Spigelia, Calostylis, Mitreola. 
The plants of this order embrace the most virulent poisons known. One 
of these, Strychnos nux-vomica, a tree found on the coasts of Malabar and 
Coromandel, has for its seeds the deadly nux-vomica. The fruit is much 
hike an orange, the seeds being embedded in a mucilaginous pulp. T'wo 
alkaloids are obtained from the nux-vomica, strychnine and_brucine, 
occurring in combination with igasuric or strychnic acid. Strychnine is 
also found in other species of Strychnos. The poison, called tteuté, used 
by the Malays to envenom their daggers and creases, is obtained from 
Strychnos tieuteé. The wourali, or ourari, with which the South American 
Indians poison their arrows, likewise owes its properties to strychnine. 
False angustura bark is obtained from the nux-vomica tree. Less than a 
grain of strychnine has been known to kill a dog. This poison is used to 
advantage in North America, for kiling wolves and other wild animals, by 
spreading it on pieces of meat laid in accessible and frequented places. 
Spigelia marilandica, or Pink-root, is employed as a vermifuge. 
Spigelia marilandica, Pink-root, United States (pl. 63, fig. 12). 
Orper 98. Arocyanaces#, the Dogbane Family. Calyx usually five- 
partite, persistent. Corolla hypogynous, gamopetalous, regular, usually 
five-lobed, deciduous ; zstivation contorted, twisting in some cases to the 
right, in others to the left. Stamens five, inserted on the corolla, alternate 
with its segments; filaments distinct; anthers two-celled, dehiscing 
longitudinally ; pollen granular, globose, or three-lobed, immediately applied 
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