NATURAL ARRANGEMENT 



392. Obdeb CLIV. PHYTOLA CE.E. 

 Genera 5, Species 'Jl ; Ilot-hottse Species 90 ; Green-house Species ; Hardy I.igyieous Species 0; 

 Hardy Herbaceous Species 1. JO Icet ; £ .3 feet ; * (J feet. 

 Insignificant herbaceous plants, rarely shrubs, with racemes of white, rcti, or greenish flowers. PetivinVi 

 when bruise<l smella Hke garlic. Phytolacca r<x)ts, leaves, and berries are violent purgatives and emetics ; 

 those of P. decandra, or Virginian Poke, are esteemed in North America nearly equal to (iuaiacum, and are 

 employed in chronic rheumatisms, and in rheumatic pains following syphili.s. An extract of the berries has 

 been employed in scrofula and cancerous ulcers, and the young shoots of the plant are eaten in the United 

 States as asparagus. 



142() Phytolacca « 1 I 801 Microtia Sivz. I ^ Gisfek*a I* 



334 Kivhirt I. | 1136 PctivferiV* L. | 



393. Order CLV. CHKN'OPO'DE.E. 



Genera 22, Species 193 ; Hot-house Species 8 ; Green-house Species 27 ; Hardy Ligneous Species G ; 

 Hardy Herbaceous Species 152. f 7i feet ; f 28i feet ; ^ feet 

 The habit of this order is a better distinction from Amaranthicea;, than any artificial character which it is 

 easy to point out. While Amaranthacew have a dry iKjrianthium with a dense inflorescence, ( henopc (leap, on 

 the contrary, have a fleshy i)criantliium and a very eftuse inflorescence. In the former, the stamens arc usually 

 inserted under the ovarium ; in the latter into the calyx ; but this mark is not constant. None of them, unless 

 Phytolacca is excepted, can be esteemed plants of ornament ; on the contrary, they have a weedy uninviting 

 appearance, which is not improved by the fetid smell of some of them. But, although their appearance is less 

 attractive than that of the Amaranths, their use to man is far more considerable. Their qualities are very 

 various; Camphorosma has the smell of camphor. Some of the Chenopotliums, as rtmbrosiiiUles, ^trys, &c., 

 possess antis|)asmodic and tonic properties ; the leaves of Spin^cia, and of many Chenopo<iinms, are eaten as 

 spinach; as are those of Basvlia in China and India. Salsbla and Salicornia are often employetl as pickles. 

 Beet roots are equally valuable as a culinary and agricultural production, and the leaves are an excellent vege- 

 table when boiled. But the most remarkable feature in the properties of the order is the abundant production 

 of soda, which is obtained from many of the sjwcies, as from all the Salsola.s, Salicornias, Anabasis, many 

 species of ^J'triplex, several salt-marsh Cheno(X)diums, and others. The seeds of Chenopi dium anthelminticum 

 are used as a vermifuge, those of ^'triplex hortensis excite vomiting, frequently attended with acute pain ; 

 those of Chcnop6dium Quinva are said to be used as rice. To conclude this list of remarkable properties in 

 one of the most vile of all assemblages of plants, the roots of beet yield an abundance of sugar. Cuttings, 

 divisions, and seeds. 



908 Base'lla L. 



807 Anfibasis A. 2 



808 Sals.Ma L. *>» 13 



809 Kbchirt Schr. 8 

 729 Chenblea L. 



810 Chenop6dium L. *3 54 



2862 ^'triplex *2 29 



2863 Rhagddia R. Br 



811 iffeta 



2768 Spinftcea /,. 

 ii770 Acnlda L. 



812 Bbsert L. 



27 Corispermum L. 

 29 J?ntum 

 2586 Ceratocarpus L. 



•0 











3 







1 







11 













1 



23 Salicornia L. *0 3 



115 Polycn^mum Z. 6 



3i") Camphorosma L. 2 

 r,:]G Anisacantha R. Br. 

 1205 Galfenm W. 



2.")94 A'xyris L. 3 



2618 Dibtis L. •! 2 



394. Order CLVI. BEGONl A'CE.^. 



Genus 1, Species ST) ; Hot-house Species 32 ; Green-house Species 3 ; Hardy Ligneous Species ; 

 Hardy Herbaceous Species 0. JO feet ; £ feet ; ^ feet. 



The acid qualities, sheathing stipules, and alternate leaves of these tropical herbs approximate them to 

 Polyg6neae, notwithstanding the very different structure of their fructification. Most of the species are 

 pretty; some very handsome ; all requiring great heat and humidity to be grown in perfection. Cuttings, 

 divisions, and seeds. 



2654 Begonm L. 



39.5 Ordhr CLVII. POLYGO^NE.E. 

 Genera 14, Species 188 ; Hat-house Species 19 ; Green-house Species 22 ; Hardy Ligneous Species 6 ; 

 Hardy Herbaceous Species HI. 16|feet; ^ 29 feet ; ^5ifeet. 

 Herbaceous or suflrutcscent fleshy-leaved plants, chiefly natives of the northern hemisphere; a few 

 Polygonums and Coccolobas are found to the south, the former in barren places, the latter on sea shores. A 

 great part of the order consists of worthless weeds. Some of the Polygonums, and all the Eriogonums, are 

 handsome plants ; the Rheums arc famous in medicine. The root of Rheum is tonic and purgative ; most of 

 the Rumexes and Polygonums are also tonics. The juice of the Coccolobas is very astringent. The young 

 leaves and shoots of several species of Rhmvx and ifhfeum are eaten either raw or baked, under the name of 

 sorrel, French sorrel, and tart rhubarb. For the sake of its seeds. Polygonum Fagopyrum is cultivated by 

 farmers under the name of buck-wheat ; the seeds of P. avicul^re are very emetic and purgative. The fleshy 

 calyx of the Coccolobas is colored; and, the fruit growing in clusters, the genus has received the name of the 

 sea-side grape. Cuttings, divisions, and seeds. 



1212 Cocc61oba L 



1213 Brunnich/Vi Gae. 



1210 Polygonum L. *1 64 



1211 Tragopj^rum jP/ViTi. 3 

 1103 ^traph6xis L. 



1104 Oxyria Hi// *0 2 



1126 /fumex L. *l 55 



1127 E^mcx Neck. 1 



1128 Pod6pterus Kth. 

 2796 Triplaris L. 



12:32 Rhkum L. 14 



1 16,i Calligonum L. 10 



1231 Eri6gonum 4 



298 Ktpnig/rt L. 1 



,396. Order CLVIII. LAU'RIN.E. 

 Genera 7, Species 54 ; Hot-house Species 30 ; Grecn-hmtse Species 15 ; Hardy Ligneous Species 9 ; 

 Hardy Herbaceous Species 0. J S3| ft. ; £ feet ; ^ feet. 

 Noble trees or shrubs with handsome foliage and inconspicuous flowers. They are chiefly natives of hot 

 countries, where they constitute some of the most valuable of the productions known under the name of 

 spice. By botanists they are regularly recognised by the singular circumstance of their anthers having each 

 four cells, the valves of which are hinged as it were to the upper edge of each cell, and do not open longitu- 

 dinally like those of most other plants. It is well known that the cinnamon is the produce of the Cinnam5- 

 mum vferum, and that its properties are eminently aromatic, warm, and stomachic. 1 he same peculiarities, but 

 in a less degree, exist also in Cinnambmum Cassia, 3/alabktrum, and Culiii.ban, which are all occasionally 

 substituted foi true cinnamon ; they are found in the leaves of Z.aiirus parvifMia, in the bark of the specii'i 

 which produces the Pichurim bean; in that of L. cupuliiris, which is the Isle of France cinnamon; of 

 L. Quixos, which yields the Peruvian cinnamon ; in Benxoin, w hich was used as spice in the United States 

 during the American war; and finally, in the common bay tree of our plantations, /.aurus Sds.iafras yields 

 the sassafras chips of the shop, but its bark is much more powerful The fruit of many Lai'iri'nie is 

 extremely aromatic ; that of Pi rsea gratissima is an agreeable West Indian fruit, calleil the alligator pear. 

 Camphor is the produce of Cinnambmum Olmphora, and of another or two ; this substance is found indeed 

 in small quantities in the roots of almost all the order ; one of the cinnamons is even nametl Capuru Carundu, 

 which signifies camphorated cinnamon. Cuttings and lavers. 



31 m'J 



