308 



DOMESTIC BOTANY. 



known to be of any special utility, being chiefly used as hard 

 woods. 



Si3anisli Elm {Cordia Gerascanthus). An erect branched 

 tree of considerable size, native of the West Indies. It yields 

 serviceable timber. 



Sebestens. The name given in India to the fruits of 

 Cordia Myxa and C. latifolia^ which are eaten, and also used 

 medicinally. 



Anacahuite Wood {Cordia Boissieri). A tree, native of 

 Mexico, the wood of which has been lately imported to this 

 country as well as into Germany, and was once supposed to 

 be a remedy for consumption. 



About 300 species have been separated from Cordiaces, as 

 a distinct family, under the name of Ehretiacece, They consist 

 of small trees or shrubs, few of which are of any interest, 

 except the well-known garden Heliotropium peruvianwn^ 

 which, on account of its scent, is known by the name of 

 *' Cherry pie," 



The genus is represented in Europe by Turnsole, H. euro- 

 p(£um, Tournefortia vohihilis, T. cymosa, and T. humilis, 

 flowering shrubs, natives of the West Indies and tropical 

 America. They have long been inmates of the hothouses at 

 Kew. 



THE GENTIAN AND NUX- VOMICA ALLIANCE. 

 The Gentian Family. 



(Gentianace^.) 



Annual or perennial herbs, floating aquatics, or soft, rarely 

 hard-stemmed, frutlets. Leaves simple, rarely trifoliate, 

 opposite, sessile, more or less sheathing and embracing the 

 stem, generally with several prominent ribs running from 

 the base to the apex ; in the aquatics round and peltate. 

 Flowers axillary, in tufts, or terminal spikes ; or in fcAv- 

 flowered panicles, rarely solitary; generally showy, blue, 

 white, yellow, red, or even black. Corolla tubular. Fruit 



